# SS 06.03.21 - Ķeniņš #1



## Mika (Jul 24, 2009)

A continuation of the Saturday Symphonies Tradition:

Welcome to another weekend of symphonic listening!

For your listening pleasure this weekend:

Tālivaldis Ķeniņš (April 23, 1919 in Liepāja - January 20, 2008 in Toronto)

Symphony No. 1

I Moderato Ma Non Troppo	
II Largo E Sostenuto	
III Allegro Molto

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Post what recording you are going to listen to giving details of Orchestra / Conductor / Chorus / Soloists etc - Enjoy!


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## Mika (Jul 24, 2009)

This composer is fairly new to me. I just recently purchased this recording I am going to listen now. It is available on youtube and spotify also. Enjoy the ride!









https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Tālivaldis+Ķeniņš+symphony+1


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## Haydn man (Jan 25, 2014)

Mika said:


> This composer is fairly new to me. I just recently purchased this recording I am going to listen now. It is available on youtube and spotify also. Enjoy the ride!
> 
> View attachment 151917
> 
> ...


New one for me too
Thanks for posting the Spotify link and that is where I shall be going


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## cougarjuno (Jul 1, 2012)

Totally unfamiliar name. The only recording, I would think


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

I have taken part in quite a number of these Saturday Symphonies, and I'm pretty sure this is the first time a composer is featured who I never heard of. This will be interesting. YouTube it is.


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## Malx (Jun 18, 2017)

Thanks for choosing this one Mika like Art Rock a name that is new to me.
I listened through the symphony twice this morning on Qobuz, here are a few rough comments: 
It is a compact work which has neo-romantic leanings at times with a finale that indicates a slightly more modern bent . His style, as indicated by this work is not adventurous, but is very pleasing without being saccharine. The second movement, Largo, which starts with a wistful bassoon theme is, for me first class. I note that he studied with Messiaen but I can discern little in the way of obvious influences from his teacher.
Certainly a composer to further investigate when time permits.


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## Roger Knox (Jul 19, 2017)

Sorry I missed this. Kenins was well-known in Canada and a full-time composition and theory professor at the University of Toronto. He wrote quite a few virtuosic works and I particularly remember hearing his Violin Concerto premiered by Steven Staryk with the Detroit Symphony in 1981. As you say, his music doesn't sound like Messiaen but I know that he said he owed a lot to Honegger. After 1989 he made major re-connections with his home country Latvia. He was a patriot and celebrated the independence of Latvia from the Soviet Union in his music.

A number of Canada's top composers left Europe because of the Nazi regime, Second World War, Soviet regime and Cold War. When you look at their accomplishments in total you realize that while Canada may have provided good positions and opportunities to have their music played, in status and recognition they were not well-served. That is why you haven't heard of Kenins. Also, his music was at the more conservative end of modernism at a time when the avant-garde was heavily promoted. There are some other excellent Canadian composers who had emigrted from Eastern Europe including Oscar Morawetz (from Czechie), Sophie-Carmen Eckhardt-Gramatté (Russia), George Fiala (Ukraine), Istvan Anhalt (Hungary-1956). If anyone wishes to pursue Kenins or other Canadian composers I can probably help out.


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