the Marco Polo/da capo release of Ludolf Nielsen's second symphony ...
That performance introduced the symphony to me. The CPO recording has a stronger performing ensemble. Re Paine, I appreciate his seriousness of purpose and finished style, which raised the bar for U.S. composers in the 1860s and '70s. In terms of center (German-speaking lands) and periphery, every composer who works in societies with little taste for classical music is, of course, at a disadvantage. In Paine's case, a comparison with the somewhat earlier Berwald shows the Swedish composer to good advantage, regardless of how long he managed a sawmill.
Regarding my description of Tubin 1 as modal/dorain... what was I smoking when I wrote that?? The symphony can scarcely be called modal in any sense that would allow VW's heartbreaking symphony 3 to be called modal.
My first exposure to Tubin was Symphony 3, and it remains a favorite.
