Your Discovery of the Year

[SBookman]

Salmenhaara - 'Suomi', (Finland)
Hlobil - Symphony No. 2, 'Victory Day', Op. 38, 1951
Hlobil - Symphony No. 4, Op. 58, 1959
Brusilovsky - Symphony No. 6, in G major, 'Kurmangazy', 1965
Andriessen - De Staat, 1976
Andriessen - Symphony for Open Strings
Butsko - Cantata No. 3, 'Wedding Songs', 1964
Erkin - Symphony No. 1, 1944-6
Inayat-Khan - 'Message Symphony'
Kabelác - Symphony No. 3, in F Major, for Organ, Brass, & Timpani, Op. 33, 1948-57
Kabelác - 'Mystery Of Time', Passacaglia for Large Orchestra, Op. 31, 1953-7
Kancheli - Symphony No. 5

[SBookman]

Kancheli - Symphony No. 7
Khanon - A Certain Concerto, for Piano & Orchestra, Op. 31, 1987
Krasavin - Novgorod Concerto, 2002
Markelov - Ringing, for Two Pianos
Ovchinnikov - Symphony No. 1, in E flat Minor
Rodrigo - Concerto-Serenade, for Harp and Orchestra, 1952
Shchedrin - Concerto for Orchestra No. 1, 'Naughty Limericks', 1963
Godár - Concerto Grosso, for Strings & Harpsichord
Galynin - Suite for Piano, 1945
Pulkkis - Concerto for piano and chamber orchestra, 'Tears of Ludovico', 1998
Inayat-Khan - 'Gandhi Symphony'
Jira - Symphony No. 7, 1985

[Toby Esterhase]

IMHO We need a complete modern recording of Koetsier's symphonies.Second is superlative despite ancient 1948 performance

[cjvinthechair]

Kancheli - Symphony No. 7
Khanon - A Certain Concerto, for Piano & Orchestra, Op. 31, 1987
Krasavin - Novgorod Concerto, 2002
Markelov - Ringing, for Two Pianos
Ovchinnikov - Symphony No. 1, in E flat Minor
Rodrigo - Concerto-Serenade, for Harp and Orchestra, 1952
Shchedrin - Concerto for Orchestra No. 1, 'Naughty Limericks', 1963
Godár - Concerto Grosso, for Strings & Harpsichord
Galynin - Suite for Piano, 1945
Pulkkis - Concerto for piano and chamber orchestra, 'Tears of Ludovico', 1998
Inayat-Khan - 'Gandhi Symphony'
Jira - Symphony No. 7, 1985

Still enjoying scouring your suggestions for things I've never heard of - much appreciated, thanks !                   Clive.

[SBookman]

Bláha - Cyklorama
Bohnke - Concerto for Piano & Orchestre, 1925
Sumera - Piano Concerto, 1987, 1997
Mathias - Concerto for Harp & Orchestra, Op. 50
Maslanka - Symphony No. 4
Sibelius - Pohjola'a Daughter, Symphonic Fantasy
Salmenhaara - Symphony No. 4, 'Nel Mezzo del Cammin di Nostra Vita', 1972
Tanner - Boy With Goldfish
Tošic - 'Altus', for Orchestra
Tveitt - Sun God Symphony, 'Solgud'
Adams - Grand Pianola Music
Adams - Harmonielehre

[Gauk]

It would be useful, though, to have more info than just a list of titles. Short descriptions? Links? There is a world of difference between Kancheli and John Adams, and not everyone who likes the one will like the other.

Otherwise one might just as well sample You Tube randomly.

[Jolly Roger]

In the past, I had been enjoying various works by Julius Roentgen but his numbered symphonies really got my attention.
His 3rd sounds like Brahms on steroids or a Brahms 5th, his 8th paints a lonely dreamlike nordic world with a wordless chorus and his 13th
sounds remarkably forshawdows the high drama of Rangstrom. I am looking forward to hearing them all..

[Bosque Bill]

I'm not saying this just because it's the Fourth of July here in America, but my discovery involves the rollicking orchestral works of early American composer Anthony Philip Heinrich, which I've gotten to know entirely via online videos from performances supposedly earmarked for but never released on cpo, including "Woodland Spirits Chant" and "Manitou Mysteries." In a way, he's kind of like Ives in the sense nobody is quite like him, he puts off some folks, yet goes defiantly and merrily on his own way. One moment he seems to be conjuring up some scene from the rugged American wilderness, the next he's launched into his beloved "Yankee Doodle" or lapsed into some quickstep he wrote years earlier for another occasion. One moment he offers the grace of Schubert, the next he's like Berlioz but on steroids. But best of all, he's a lot of fun. Cpo really missed the boat on this one! I mean, anyone who can write a symphony about the now-extinct passenger pigeon ought to get more attention!

[kyjo]

Welcome to the forum! I agree that Heinrich is a fascinating figure-he was way ahead of his time for a composer whose dates were 1781-1861. There is certainly a similarity between his music and Berlioz's in its non-conformity and eccentricity. He composed no less than 14 symphonies, none of which follow tradition symphonic form and which often have fanciful titles (see a list of them here: http://www.musicweb-international.com/Ntl_discogs/American_Symphonies/american_symphonies1.htm). I never knew CPO had any interest in him-I'm not getting my hopes up for a release (knowing CPO's erratic release schedule), but I'll keep an eye out for any further developments. I see there are three of his orchestral pieces on YouTube (besides The Orinithological Combat of Kings, which is already available on a New World disc)-the two you mentioned in your post plus the Capriccio The war of the elements and the thundering of the Niagra. Such wordy titles remind one of the subtitles of Rued Langgaard's (a similarly eccentric composer) symphonies ;D

[Bosque Bill]

Many thanks for your kind words -- and, yes, the comparison with Rued Langgaard is dead-on. I absolutely cherish his hyper-romantic music but have never been able to link the bizarre titles of his compositions to what I'm actually hearing. Not that it really matters. And with two excellent cycles of Langgaard's symphonies in the last 15 years, there's always hope someone will at least record a disc of some of Heinrich's massive scores (besides the slim New World offering). Unfortunately, we Americans do a pretty sorry job of championing our own composers. Maybe Naxos or Dutton, with Keith Lockhart conducting for the latter. This stuff seems right up his alley, though Griffiths certainly seems to have an affinity and passion for Heinrich's works. And, for what it's worth, I look forward to expanding my horizons with this group!

[kyjo]

I, too, love Langgaard's unrestrained and quirky hyper-romantisicsm and am eternally grateful for Dacapo for doing this musical "outsider" such great service :) I also couldn't agree with you more about the pitiful ignorance most American conductors show towards the musical heritage of their own country. Naxos' American Classics series was running strong for a while, but recently they seem to be recording more and more second-rate contemporary stuff (not all the contemporary music they have recorded is second-rate, though-Fuchs, Zwilich, Fetler and Samuel Jones are major exceptions). No longer are they turning out treasures like the disc of orchestral works by Henry Hadley, the Schuman, Harris and Diamond symphonies, the George Templeton Strong orchestral works, the Frederick Shepherd Converse symphonic poems and the Amy Beach Gaelic Symphony and Piano Concerto. Dutton (one of the most consistently excellent labels with regard to choices of repertoire, along with CPO) could certainly pick up where Naxos left off, as evidenced by their wonderful disc of more symphonic poems by Converse. Ah...this is turning into another one of my late-night rambles-better stop now! Anyways, I look forward to hearing more from you, Bill :)

[Christo]

IMHO We need a complete modern recording of Koetsier's symphonies.Second is superlative despite ancient 1948 performance

Completely overlooked, great tip, manty thanks!

[Jolly Roger]

The 8 symphonies of the Croatian composer Stjepan Sulek were a great recent find for me.
I find his music fascinating, cleverly inventive and quite unique.

[Toby Esterhase]

The 8 symphonies of the Croatian composer Stjepan Sulek were a great recent find for me.
I find his music fascinating, cleverly inventive and quite unique.

I agree totally and hope for more cd releases i found particularly impressive 2 and 7

[cjvinthechair]

Terrific symphonies from Sulek - but can I mention his organ concerto too; just love to hear that in a concert hall !