# SS 4.8.18 - Englund #2 "Blackbird"



## Mika (Jul 24, 2009)

A continuation of the Saturday Symphonies Tradition:

Welcome to another weekend of symphonic listening!

For your listening pleasure this weekend:

Einar Englund (June 17, 1916 - June 27, 1999)

Symphony No. 2 "Blackbird"

I Allegro Moderato	
II Andante Molto Sostenuto (Attacca)	
III Finale: Allegro Deciso

---------------------

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


----------



## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

I hear lots of Shostakovich in this one. Not bad actually. Listening to this account. Nice recording.


----------



## Mika (Jul 24, 2009)

Substituting realdealblues again. Someone suggested a while ago Englund #2 and yes we have not listened any of his symphonies so far. I must admit, that I have not listed too much his symphonies, so this is a new one to me also. However I happened to have quite a few Englund recordings. Here is the one I picked for #2:









Enjoy some post Sibelius Finnish symphony!


----------



## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

Thanks for posting this! I'll have to sit this one out; on holiday and don't have this Symphony on the car's system. I remember it as a good solid piece, a bit Shostakovich-y, but none the worse for that.


----------



## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

I have 2 versions, I'll skip the Naxos in favour of the Finlandia 'Meet the composer' version (Helsinki Philharmonia Orchestra, Pekkanen).


----------



## Mika (Jul 24, 2009)

Damn, I made typo to thread name. I think I can’t fix it. Some admin maybe?


----------



## D Smith (Sep 13, 2014)

I listened to the Naxos recording and enjoyed it. I too heard some Shostakovich influences but thought he had his own voice, and loved flutes apparently. Thanks for the pick, I hadn't heard this composer before and will sample some more.


----------



## kyjo (Jan 1, 2018)

I'm a great admirer of Englund's two piano concerti and cello concerto, so I look forward to listening to this symphony. Will report back when I do!


----------



## Malx (Jun 18, 2017)

Earlier today I listened to the Findlandia recording Art Rock mentioned in an earlier post from the Meet the Composers series.

A very decent piece certainly not groundbreaking for its time perhaps more backward looking than futuristic but enjoyable nonetheless. Like others I could hear influences from Shostakovich at times, with the occasional touch of Prokofiev.


----------



## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Will be listening to this one.


----------



## Haydn man (Jan 25, 2014)

KenOC said:


> Will be listening to this one.


Yes, same version for me


----------



## Weird Heather (Aug 24, 2016)

I listened to the Naxos recording. My impression is about the same as that of others here - the influence of Shostakovich is evident, but the music has its own unique touches. It is a style that readily appeals to me. Maybe I'll check out more by this composer.


----------



## cougarjuno (Jul 1, 2012)

me too for the Naxos recording


----------



## kyjo (Jan 1, 2018)

I listened to the Naxos recording. I really enjoyed this symphony, particularly the duality between the birdsong-like flute passages (representing the purity of nature) and the martial, Shostakovichian passages (representing the cruelty of war). Englund is a fine composer who, like his compatriots Klami, Melartin, Merikanto, Rautavaara, and Sallinen (among others), doesn't deserve to be overshadowed by the great Sibelius.


----------



## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

....you missed out Leevi Madetoja, whose Third Symphony is debatably worthy of mentioning in the same breath as Sibelius's!


----------



## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

Thanks again Mika for stepping in. Actually I honestly thought I got on a posted one, but apparently I didn't  The little grey cells appear to have not been firing last week. Sorry about that...

I will be checking out the Naxos recording of this work. Also a new one for me that I've never heard before.


----------



## kyjo (Jan 1, 2018)

Robert Pickett said:


> ....you missed out Leevi Madetoja, whose Third Symphony is debatably worthy of mentioning in the same breath as Sibelius's!


Arghhh...I meant to include him!


----------



## Krummhorn (Feb 18, 2007)

Mika said:


> Damn, I made typo to thread name. I think I can't fix it. Some admin maybe?


Done.  .


----------



## kyjo (Jan 1, 2018)

Now it's Engl*a*nd!!  :lol:


----------



## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

I hope nobody makes any jokes about "no great Symphonies have ever come out of England....." :devil:

Or Englund...


----------



## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

I listened to this symphony a few days ago and couldn't quite figure out why the composer had bothered to write it. I was going to give it a second listening, just to be fair, before reporting. But I didn't.


----------

