# SS 20.06.20 - Tubin#4 "Lyrical"



## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

A continuation of the Saturday Symphonies Tradition:

Welcome to another weekend of symphonic listening!

For your listening pleasure this weekend:*

Eduard Tubin (1905 - 1982)*

Symphony #4 in A major, "Lyrical"

1. Molto moderato
2. Allegro con anima
3. Andante un poco maestoso
4. Allegro
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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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## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

Another weekend is upon us and another Symphony is up for your enjoyment. This weekend it's Estonian composer Eduard Tubin's Fourth Symphony. I've not spent much time with Tubin. I think I've heard all of his symphonies once so I'm happy to revisit this one. I hope everyone can join in and give this work a spin.

I'll be listening to this one:




Neeme Jarvi/Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra


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## DaddyGeorge (Mar 16, 2020)

I'll go with Neeme Järvi & Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra


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## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

Jarvi, and Volmer for me. This is Tubin's most accessible and beautiful Symphony, and well worth a listen at even the tiniest of prompting!


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Tubin's symphonies are an uneven lot, but the 4th is a beauty.


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## Malx (Jun 18, 2017)

I listened to the ninth yesterday evening which is on the same disc as Jarvi's fourth - I'll visit that shelf again tomorrow.


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## D Smith (Sep 13, 2014)

Jarvi here for me. I don't think I've heard this before.


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## Haydn man (Jan 25, 2014)

DaddyGeorge said:


> I'll go with Neeme Järvi & Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra
> 
> View attachment 138203


And another vote for this version


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## Neo Romanza (May 7, 2013)

Järvi is the way to go with Tubin in general BUT Volmer is the only conductor thus far to have recorded the complete _Kratt_. If you don't know, _Kratt_ was Tubin's answer to _The Wooden Prince_ or other folky ballets. Of course, Järvi recorded the suite from _Kratt_ to great effect, but I would still say it's worth hearing the complete ballet. Other than this recording, Järvi wins the Tubin symphony sweepstakes. He is _the_ authority on Tubin and his cycle is definitely worth looking into. I would say that if you are thinking of buying his series for this composer to opt out of buying the box set (on BIS) and see if you can find the individual recordings. The reason I'm bringing this up is because the individual releases contain many bonus works that aren't available in the box set. Also, there are two releases outside of the symphonies that were released and these just had concerti and orchestral works on them. So if you're thinking of getting the box set, do keep in mind that you're not getting all of Järvi's Tubin recordings on BIS.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

This one:


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

Jarvi for me too but I'm posting a picture of one of my cats just to be different. I'm such a rebel!


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## cougarjuno (Jul 1, 2012)

Same


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

Tubin: Symphonies: Nos. 4 and 7

Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, Arvo Volmer
This one for me


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## Mika (Jul 24, 2009)

KenOC said:


> This one:


Same here
....................


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

I'll give Jarvi a go ... but I've never enjoyed Tubin so much. I remember the 4th being better than many. There are enough pictures of this disc, I don't have a cat and my dog is very camera shy so no pictures.


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## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

That's a nice lookin cat Merl 

I almost never participate in these Saturday Symphonies, but I owe this work a revisitation, especially with the composer's birthday having recently gone by on the 18th. Järvi the elder on BIS for me, with the oddly named Musikselskabet "Harmonien" Bergen orchestra. 

So far so good. It is quite a lyrical symphony. I have three Tubin CDs, all from the same Järvi series, but the only disc to really connect w/ me thus far is 3 & 8. Overall I would say I can be hot and cold on his music. Sometimes I enjoy it, others it doesn't do much for me. It reminds me of somewhere between Nielsen and Sibelius.


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## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

Our cat doesn't have much time for Eduard Tubin, she prefers Schumann (her name is Clara, after all!). However, our hamsters are very much afficionados of mid 20th century Symphonies.


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## Simplicissimus (Feb 3, 2020)

I’ll be listening to the Järvi/Bergen recording posted by realdealblues as I can’t find the piece on my streaming service. Tubin is completely new to me and I’m delighted to make his acquaintance!


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## D Smith (Sep 13, 2014)

I quite enjoyed this. I think the only other Tubin I've heard is his second symphony when it was featured last year on Saturday Symphony. I'll make a concerted effort to hear all 10. Thanks for the pick, RDB.


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## MusicSybarite (Aug 17, 2017)

One of my favorite Tubin symphonies (along with the 2nd, 3rd, 6th and 10th). Both recordings of this gorgeous symphony (Järvi and Volmer) are quite valid for their own merits IMO, yet I feel Järvi's recording is brighter and vivid.


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## Haydn man (Jan 25, 2014)

D Smith said:


> I quite enjoyed this. I think the only other Tubin I've heard is his second symphony when it was featured last year on Saturday Symphony. I'll make a concerted effort to hear all 10. Thanks for the pick, RDB.


Yes, I will second that. Having enjoyed both Tubin symphonies that have appeared so far on the SS list
Definite reminders of Sibelius for me in the feel of the piece and again highlights there are many other composers of quality works other than the usual 'big hitters'


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## Joachim Raff (Jan 31, 2020)

I think the Symphony requires several listening sessions to get anything out of it. On first listening there are numerous themes and melodies swirling around appearing to get nowhere particularly. I think Jarvi takes Tubin seriously but the live recording has several flaws. Clicking, crackling and several other unexplained noises detract you from the music. Further, the bright recording is border-lining being harsh to my ears. Saying that, Tubin is definitely unsung and Jarvi needs to be congratulated in bringing this symphony to the masses. Many thanks to the Saturday Symphony again for an excellent choice.


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## DaddyGeorge (Mar 16, 2020)

An interesting symphony. It reminds me a little bit of "modernized" Rimsky-Korsakov. I finally listened to both recordings - Järvi and Volmer, because I read completely contradictory reviews, so I was curious. In terms of sound, Volmer is much better, but I was more interested in Järvi in terms of interpretation, especially the third movement is brilliant in his performance.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Per the notes to the Volmer box of symphonies, this symphony has an interesting history. Tubin wrote it in 1943 and sent the manuscript to Talinn for copying. The manuscript was stored in a safe and, though singed, survived the destruction of the “Estonia” Theater in a Russian bombing. It was performed in Talinn a month or afterward.

Tubin escaped Estonia later in 1944 and brought the manuscript with him, but it had evidently been damaged further and “could not any more be used for a performance.”

In 1978 Neeme Jarvi asked Tubin to write out a clean score, which he did, “abbreviating it partly.” This version was first performed by Jarvi in 1981. The original damaged score still exists and is kept in Estonia.

That said, I enjoyed the Volmer performance. The symphony’s title “Lyrical” is well taken, since it’s quite tuneful and grateful to the ear. The melodies are generally lengthy and so cannot be much developed, and they are perhaps not the most memorable either, but they provide the underpinnings for a great variety of incident, rhythmic events, and so forth. In short, the symphony is both enjoyable and interesting enough to hold the attention throughout its length.

For me, another nice one from SS.


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