# SS 23.11.19 - Tubin #2



## 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 No. 2 In B Minor, "Legendary"

1. Molto allegro e agitato
2. Sostenuto assai, grave e funebre
3. Tempestoso, ma non troppo allegro - Lento 
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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 listening enjoyment. This weekend it's Estonian composer Eduard Tubin's Second Symphony. I'm not super familiar with Tubin so I'm interested in giving this one a spin. I hope everyone can join in.

I'll be listening to this one:




Paul Magi/Symphony Orchestra Of Estonian Academy Of Music And Theatre


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

This promises to be interesting. I have two recordings. The first is from the complete cycle of Tubin symphonies conducted by Arvo Volmer with the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra. The second is from a pairing with No. 6, Neemi Jarvi with the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra.

I'll go with Jarvi this time.


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## Malx (Jun 18, 2017)

The Jarvi disc Ken illustrates above for me too.


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## D Smith (Sep 13, 2014)

Jarvi here as well.


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## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

Both for me. I know very well that I made what some may see as exaggerated claims for the greatness of Magnard No.4 last week, (which I will stand by) but this is for me the finest of Tubin's 10 1/4 symphonies, and a hidden giant among the greatest Symphonies of the last century. It's just magical. It has a magnificent broodiness and power, never outstays its welcome, properly qed's itself, and just feels like it was just "there", not put together by someone. And does he know how an orchestra can work? You bet!

I must admit I prefer Jarvi. Nothing against Volmer in any way, but this cycle was a serious and dedicated project from Jarvi, before he went on to record anything available in print. Or is it the management at BIS's biggest contribution to the catalogue? Anyway, I had these on LP, and rapidly replaced them with CDs when I changed format.

Yes, I quite like this one. You doing Holmboe 6 next week??? :tiphat:


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## Haydn man (Jan 25, 2014)

Looking forward to this one
I will give the Jarvi version a try as others above


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## Vasks (Dec 9, 2013)

CnC Bartok said:


> but this is for me the finest of Tubin's 10 1/4 symphonies, and a hidden giant among the greatest Symphonies of the last century.


I have them all and I too think this is the best one.


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## jim prideaux (May 30, 2013)

D Smith said:


> Jarvi here as well.


and me as well...…(great post CnC!.....I was recently banging on at some friends about Tubin with a similar enthusiasm)


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

Paul Magi/Symphony Orchestra Of Estonian Academy Of Music And Theatre 
I'll try this one.


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## Mika (Jul 24, 2009)

Found Järvi’s Tubin complete symphonies from spotify. Will listen that one or at least #2 symphony


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## Malx (Jun 18, 2017)

Like others have stated one of Tubin's finest - a symphony that seems to grow organically with little teasing. I have only heard the Jarvi I have in my collection but I am more than satisfied with this performance, unless others tell me there is a not to be missed recording I should seek out.
First rate Symphony.


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## jim prideaux (May 30, 2013)

Now actually listening and can I politely point out that any advocacy in any post on this thread does not involve any hyperbole.....the work is superb and anyone who has not heard it and is contemplating a listen would be well advised to do themselves a big favour.....!


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## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

jim prideaux said:


> Now actually listening and can I politely point out that any advocacy in any post on this thread does not involve any hyperbole.....the work is superb and anyone who has not heard it and is contemplating a listen would be well advised to do themselves a big favour.....!


There you go! A bit of passionate advocacy never did any harm.....

Are you absolutely sure you're English? :devil:


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## Malx (Jun 18, 2017)

CnC Bartok said:


> There you go! A bit of passionate advocacy never did any harm.....
> 
> Are you absolutely sure you're English? :devil:


North East of England - huge Scottish influence at work CnC


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## cougarjuno (Jul 1, 2012)

Same for me via spotify


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## jim prideaux (May 30, 2013)

CnC Bartok said:


> There you go! A bit of passionate advocacy never did any harm.....
> 
> Are you absolutely sure you're English? :devil:


I am so English I am now listening to the 6th while reading the Guardian contemplating getting ready to go to watch Sunderland at home to Coventry.....


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## Bill Cooke (May 20, 2017)

I suppose the Paul Magi performance isn't on disc? A search proved fruitless for me. I think it's a wonderful performance - considerably more nuanced than Jarvi's. I never considered it a great symphony until now.


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## jim prideaux (May 30, 2013)

Bill Cooke said:


> I suppose the Paul Magi performance isn't on disc? A search proved fruitless for me. I think it's a wonderful performance - considerably more nuanced than Jarvi's. I never considered it a great symphony until now.


Had never come across it until it was mentioned earlier on this thread....


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## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

I've got Paul Magi doing The Parson of Reigi. It's a very good opera.......indeed, his Legendaire is a fine performance, glad it's been highlighted here, totally new to me.


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## D Smith (Sep 13, 2014)

I really enjoyed listening to the Jarvi. A very well accomplished work. I'll be exploring more of Tubin.


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## MusicSybarite (Aug 17, 2017)

Stormy stuff. Tubin's sense of depicting bleak landscapes is tremendous. I like the use of the orchestral piano. It featured many striking moments. This has been an old-time favorite for its spooky atmospheric scenery.


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

Like Jim, CnC and others here i'll throw my 'hat of enthusiasm' into the ring for this symphony. Definitely the Jarvi for me. Its actually on the car USB at the moment. Hope you didnt go to the Sunderland game, Jim! It didnt end well, did it?


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## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

Merl said:


> Like Jim, CnC and others here i'll throw my 'hat of enthusiasm' into the ring for this symphony. Definitely the Jarvi for me. Its actually on the car USB at the moment. Hope you didnt go to the Sunderland game, Jim! It didnt end well, did it?


His Sunderland (or "Sunderland Nil" to give them their full name) are doing better than my team, languishing just above the drop zone in the same league 

I must admit I enjoyed the Magi performance on YouTube. Any great work heard afresh is worthwhile. Hard to judge its merits though, how much is down to that, or seeing the performers, and there are of course the sound limitations to consider. Still a Jarvi fan here...!


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

Merl said:


> Like Jim, CnC and others here i'll throw my 'hat of enthusiasm' into the ring for this symphony. Definitely the Jarvi for me. Its actually on the car USB at the moment. Hope you didnt go to the Sunderland game, Jim! It didnt end well, did it?


I hope you weren't driving while posting, Merl?


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## jim prideaux (May 30, 2013)

Merl said:


> Like Jim, CnC and others here i'll throw my 'hat of enthusiasm' into the ring for this symphony. Definitely the Jarvi for me. Its actually on the car USB at the moment. Hope you didnt go to the Sunderland game, Jim! It didnt end well, did it?


it didn't start well...it didn't end well.....and the least said about the bit in the middle, well!

(to paraphrase Blackadder)


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

jim prideaux said:


> it didn't start well...it didn't end well.....and the least said about the bit in the middle, well!
> 
> (to paraphrase Blackadder)


Saw this post in the "What's new" list and assumed Jim was talking about the Tubin piece. I thought, "Wow that's kind of cold!" :lol:


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## Kiki (Aug 15, 2018)

Eduard Tubin is one of my secret pleasures... love this symphony as well his others (Thanks to Neeme Järvi!). The only thing that I find a little bit puzzling is that, it sounds more "militaristic" than "legendary" to me. Must be my cultural ignorance...


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## jim prideaux (May 30, 2013)

KenOC said:


> Saw this post in the "What's new" list and assumed Jim was talking about the Tubin piece. I thought, "Wow that's kind of cold!" :lol:


Sorry Ken!.....lack of clarity, if anything Tubin was a highlight of the weekend while the match would best be described as the antithesis of a 'highlight'.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

jim prideaux said:


> Sorry Ken!.....lack of clarity, if anything Tubin was a highlight of the weekend while the match would best be described as the antithesis of a 'highlight'.


LOL, thought you might have been about to paraphrase Dr. Johnson: "Tubin's symphony is both good and original, but the part that is good is not original and the part that is original is not good."


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

But about the symphony, a short essay:

Tubin, an Estonian, wrote this symphony on 1937 at the age of 32. He left Estonia for Sweden in 1944 with the Soviet takeover and lived there for the rest of his life. Sweden did not greatly welcome his music, which was also politically suspect in occupied Estonia. After its first performance in 1938, this symphony was not heard again there until 1968!

The first part is split between a long, shimmering introduction and the tempestuous music that grows from it and seems to describe some vast struggle. The “militaristic” tinge to this highly rhythmic music may arise from Tubin being inspired by the “legendary” 13th-century battles between Estonian warriors and the Teutonic knights – or so suggest the program notes to the Volmer cycle.

The second part is a sort of funeral march, measured initially by slow tympani beats. It rises to a rather unexpected climax before fading slowly away.

The third part, the longest of the three, is again driven by relentless rhythms throughout, growing more and more brutal as the music goes along. It hits a peak about midway with three huge gong strokes, reminiscent of what Shostakovich does in the first movement of his 10th Symphony. The following diminuendo leads to a long and impassioned violin solo, with orchestral accompaniment. The “brutal” music threatens a comeback but lacks the energy and disappears. The final pages of the symphony are reminiscent of the beautiful soft and shimmering music of the introduction.

I wasn’t familiar with this symphony, but right now I’d place it very highly among all symphonies from the last hundred years.* It is committed, powerful, and evocative. It also has a surprising amount of variety and detail, including a really great use of the piano in the orchestral setting.

*Probably quite rash given my short acquaintance with the work!


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