# 239 Symphonies and More!



## HarpsichordConcerto (Jan 1, 2010)

A friend sent me the name of this contemporary composer who has currently written 239 symphonies, and many other concertos and string quartets: *Leif Segerstam*, born 1944.  :lol: As staggering as the numbers may appear, it is almost laughable.

Anyone here even remotely familiar with anything he wrote? Prolific composer? Or variations of a common scribbling fart variety?


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

I have heard one of his compositions, which I talked about in the thread below. It was so long ago (middle of last year) that I don't remember any of it now.



Andre said:


> Yes, there is "crash bang wallop" in his music. I just heard his Symphony No. 11(1986) yesterday on the radio here in Sydney. Some really interesting percussive effects, some wierd sounds (from what sounded a bit like a jew's harp, but I don't know) and this driving motoric energy which sounded pretty cool to me. I'm interested in maybe getting a couple of his works on cd, but not all 230 symphonies! (heck, I'm not even interested in getting all of Beethoven's symphonies, so I'm not really into collecting complete cycles, anyway). But Segerstam sounds like an interesting composer (if not the "greatest") nonethelss...


http://www.talkclassical.com/6609-leif-segerstam.html

I've also heard him conduct Sibelius' 4th symphony on cd, and I think that his account was excellent...


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## World Violist (May 31, 2007)

Yeah, he's generally acknowledged as a better conductor. I've listened to some sound clips on Amazon and they sound pretty neat, and they are rather small symphonies, so give him that. And he has some cool ideas. So don't give him that much short shrift. He's an intelligent and imaginative guy, I bet he could come up with 200+ ways to write a symphony.

It's just a matter of how good they are, which I don't know.


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## HarpsichordConcerto (Jan 1, 2010)

"Crash, bang, wallop" wrote Andre to describe symphony #11.

I guess I could use the same words too for symphony #151, and #213.

Symphony #151





Symphony #212


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## Delicious Manager (Jul 16, 2008)

I am a keen advocate of good contemporary music. One has to question the quality and consistency of someone with a busy conducting/recording career who writes over 200 symphonies. I have dipped into Segerstam's work and have found it wanting in any real substance. Colourful effects and skillful orchestration (who would expect less?), but there's nothing really going on beyond that.

I think a far more worthwhile contribution of Segerstam's to the musical world is his particular take on the English language: http://www.grahamnasby.com/misc/musichumour_leif-segerstam-quotations.shtml


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## superhorn (Mar 23, 2010)

I have a BIS CD of Segerstam conducting one of his symphonies,I can't recall which number offhand,with the Rhineland Pzalz orchestra of Germany.
The subtitle is "Thoughts at the border". Segerstam gives a rather confusingly psychobabble explanation of the subtitle in the notes.
It's not uninteresting,but there are no recognizable themes in it,and is worth hearing more than once to try to get accustomed to it.
I'd be willing to give more of his music a chance.


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

I just listened to the first half of Symphony #212. Not a bad piece but basically I think it's kind of like an orchestral showpiece. Mainly affect, but not bad music. I think Thomas Ades does more interesting things if you're looking for similar luscious textures & he incorporates some more interesting things in his music (eg. techno beats). But I'm a real sucker for pieces with big & active percussion sections, so I think that the Segerstam is kind of my cup of tea...


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## Jeremy Marchant (Mar 11, 2010)

I, too, listened to the first part of 212. For me the question is, is it a symphony? I'd be quite happy with it if it had a descriptive poetic name, or an abstract one, but I don't think that particular piece shows symphonic writing.
Curious that the conductor is never seen (though the composer is on the joanna) - presumably his fees for appearing in a YT video were too great!


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## An Die Freude (Apr 23, 2011)

According to Wikipedia, Segerstam has composed:

251 Symphonies (as of August 2011)
30 String quartets
13 Violin concertos
8 Cello concertos
4 Viola concertos
4 Piano concertos!


Although he has not composed the most, as Rowan Taylor composed a whopping 265 symphonies!


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## GoneBaroque (Jun 16, 2011)

As Oscar Wilde said in The Importance of Being Ernest "Everyone needs a hobby".


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## kv466 (May 18, 2011)

Quality or quantity? A choice you have to make. Nine sounds about right, to me.


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## StlukesguildOhio (Dec 25, 2006)

Quality or quantity?

And then there's Bach.


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