# Erkki melartin



## taduy

It is finally time for Erkki Melartin to emerge from "the shadow of Sibelius", nearly 63 years after his death. Is Melartin a symphonic composer of international stature or merely one of those "harlots and their pimps", as Gustav Mahler termed the "national geniuses" in music?



The shadow of Sibelius is an utterly fascinating phenomenon. In the normal course of things, the Björn Borg phenomenon is the rule: one supremely talented figure attracts potential talent that is not only noticed but actively searched for. What happened in Finnish music in the wake of Sibelius was the exact opposite.

Sibelius was creating a fantastic international career before the First World War and attained a permanent standing in concert repertoires throughout the Western world - so much so that he is widely regarded as the most significant 19th-century composer of the 20th century. Regardless of this, it was difficult for other Finnish composers, however talented, to gain any kind of international recognition after him. Any ground won was soon lost. It was not until the past two decades or so that some few Finnish composers have achieved genuine international recognition, such as Sallinen, Rautavaara or Lindberg.

Why was this? Since the music of Sibelius cannot be decisively ranked as "better" on any unambiguous scale than the music of Leevi Madetoja, Aarre Merikanto or Erkki Melartin, for instance, must we be content with the explanation that Sibelius just had better timing, or perhaps even just better luck?

It is true that the music of Sibelius was championed by influential music writers and vociferous conductors, and the Violin Concerto was a real hit. Still, Erkki Melartin had a composition concert in Berlin in November 1923, with the composer himself conducting the Berlin Philharmonic - an achievement as fantastic for a Finnish composer then as it would be now.

( by Osmo Tapio Räihälä )


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## violadude

I have all his symphonies on CD. He's a really good composer, I like them all! I would recommend them to anyone who is generally a fan of big romantic style pieces. 

I think my favorite ones are 3 and 5, but they are all about equally good in quality.


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## taduy

Yeah ! Of Course Violadude ..! Everyone after listenned his symphony also think so . Melartin s the Best of my Neglect-composers , his music so fascinating and all of them fully lyrical . I always ask myself , Why a curious talent like him is less-known , forgotten , and very small of classicalmus listener know him . Can you explain to me ???


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## violadude

Nope I can't explain it to you. That's just the way the cookie crumbles sometimes. 

Even some of the things he was doing in his symphonies were pretty new at the time. Like adding the voice trio (I think it's a trio) to the slow movement of the 4th symphony.


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## taduy

I think so , I love that movement so much , a sweet voice , sweet melody , the most charming of 20th century music in my opinion . I created a Youtube clip for this mov : 



 . Enjoy !!!!


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## robert

If you are interested Ondine has a three cd box of The Six Symphonies 

Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra
Leonid Grin

This is an excellent set. I have owned it for 15 years.....


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## violadude

robert said:


> If you are interested Ondine has a three cd box of The Six Symphonies
> 
> Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra
> Leonid Grin
> 
> This is an excellent set. I have owned it for 15 years.....


Seconded


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## taduy

"...Leonid Grin is greatly gifted, passionately musical, and deeply involved with musical meanings."
( Leonard Bernstein )


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## Delicious Manager

I too am familiar with Erkki Melartin's six symphonies. While I enjoy listening to them (probably no more than two at a time), I wouldn't say he could be compared to the great Sibelius. If you like Melartin, I suggest you would also like the three symphonies by Leevi Madetoja (1887-1947 - the 2nd Symphony is very like Sibelius) and, a little more up to date, Einar Englund (like Sibelius, another Swedish-speaking Finn - 1916-1999), whose 7 symphonies are very fine indeed.


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## starthrower

Pianist Maria Lettberg, who recorded a monumental Scriabin piano set, has just recorded a 2 disc set of Melartin's piano works to be released in November.
http://www.amazon.com/Melartin-Solo...=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1350273437&sr=1-1


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## Blake

Bump for a little more recognition. Melartin deserves it. :tiphat:


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## nightscape

Recently purchased his symphony set by Grin and the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra after listening to his 3rd Symphony. Truly enjoying his music right now.


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## jim prideaux

nightscape said:


> Recently purchased his symphony set by Grin and the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra after listening to his 3rd Symphony. Truly enjoying his music right now.


have recently acquired two of these discs myself-really enjoy 2nd and 4th although the recording seems lacklustre in comparison with the 5th and 6th-the brass is outstanding on the latter-any comments?


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## Azol

Again, to all Melartin fans, you should definitely listen to this masterpiece:






I wonder why it still hasn't been recorded commercially!

Here is the score: http://www2.siba.fi/Melartinseura/Traumgesicht_score.pdf


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## manyene

I am a relatively new fan of Melartin, who I discovered on YouTube last year having worked my way through the various Atterberg's symphonies there. Some months on I found myself playing his 2nd,3rd and 5th Symphonies more than the others, with particular affection for the very positive and life affirming 3rd Symphony. Some commentators have remarked on the less than top drawer Ondine recording, so it would be good if some other company, possibly Naxos or BIS could oblige. Certainly music of this quality deserves more than just one recording.


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## jim prideaux

^^^^^while there might be limitations to the Ondine recordings they by no means invalidate the enterprise of the label,conductor or orchestra and as I pointed out on a prior post a while back there seems to be an absence of those supposed limitations in the recording of the 5th and 6th!


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## JAS

I am very late to the party, but I too (just recently) acquired the Ondine set of the six symphonies, which has been very satisfying over multiple listenings. I also picked up a CD of the violin concerto, which is pleasant, but not as memorable to my ears.


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## nightscape

Azol said:


> Again, to all Melartin fans, you should definitely listen to this masterpiece:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I wonder why it still hasn't been recorded commercially!
> 
> Here is the score: http://www2.siba.fi/Melartinseura/Traumgesicht_score.pdf


Guess you're wish came true


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## Pugg

Another bump is always nice to see.


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## Lenny

nightscape said:


> Guess you're wish came true


Already in Spotify! Nice....

Melartin is indeed very talented. His music is a bit too romantic and emotional for my taste, but in small doses he's great.


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## Azol

nightscape said:


> Guess you're wish came true


I have added it to my collection already!


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## Lenny

For all Erkki Melartin fans, here's his 24 preludes for piano: http://areena.yle.fi/1-3874371 (skip to 15:55)

(I hope this is audible also outside Finland)


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## Pugg

Lenny said:


> For all Erkki Melartin fans, here's his 24 preludes for piano: http://areena.yle.fi/1-3874371 (skip to 15:55)
> 
> (I hope this is audible also outside Finland)


First of all we have to know what's the site saying.....do we have to subscribe?


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## Lenny

Pugg said:


> First of all we have to know what's the site saying.....do we have to subscribe?


Why? Just click it! Trust me! 

Yle Areena is a free (well, "free"... we pay it from tax) service from finnish national broadcasting company, no subscription required. Some of the streams are not available abroad, unfortunately.


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## Pugg

Lenny said:


> Why? Just click it! Trust me!
> 
> Yle Areena is a free (well, "free"... we pay it from tax) service from finnish national broadcasting company, no subscription required. Some of the streams are not available abroad, unfortunately.


If I had know it was that easy, I am sorry.


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## leonsm

I'm listening a lot his 3rd and 5th Symphonies (Leonid Grin with Tampere Phil.), both are amazing. I will dig more into his works. :cheers:


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## leonsm

Traumgesicht is a utterly beautiful work too, what a composer!


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