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Review
BBC Music Magazine Award --BBC Music Magazine
Gramophone Award --Gramophone
Editors Choice --Gramophone
Gramophone Award --Gramophone
Editors Choice --Gramophone
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
The clarinet concerto is superb, and of all the Lindberg CD's I've heard this tops the lot, and that's saying something. With the concerto, he seems to have moved on from his transition from experimental young avante garde-ist to more lyrical writing, melding the best of what he's developed in the present work. Unafraid to address traditional structures and sounds, and cleverly blending several genres with his own (there's even a "Gershwin moment" towards the end), where certain other composers can create a patchwork quilt of diverse styles rammed together in the assumption this approach "sounds modern", here Lindberg proves he's a master of his craft in creating a cogent and highly satisfying concerto. Oromo is clearly at home with this music, and Kriikku's clarinet sounds crystalline. The Gran Duo, written I believe for the same forces as Stravinsky's Symphonies of Winds is also a gem, if anything displaying more clarity in wind writing than the Symphonies' (I heard both in the same concert conducted by Knussen a few years back). What makes this disc stand out from other Lindberg CD's is that all three works possess the quality of accessibility without compromise to dumbing down. (am I alone in thinking the artwork makes it look like a King Crimson LP?) If you only ever want to buy one CD of music by a contemporary composer........
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
The earlier two reviews are entirely on the money. I've known this piece for a few years now, though only just compelled to make some comments, having just listened to the Concerto through some decent kit (Sennheiser HD555 earphones, best purchase ever but that's another story...). If you're a fan of the clarinet you need to hear this concerto - Lindberg pushes the boundaries of the instrument, a challenge Kari Kriikku rises to with apparent ease, at times producing delicate sonorities of great beauty and at others sounds that can only be described as magnificently grotesque. It's all about contrast, and exploring the instrument, and it surely enough explores every single capability.
The other reviewers touched on the accessibility of the work, compared with earlier Lindberg, and it is a good point. I, for one, am glad of this apparent softening of Linberg's harmonic language in his later years. Now at last we have a composer with a modernist's palette, moulding his more edgy techniques and sonorities into a beautiful, warm, and tuneful soundworld, which verges on the romantic (certainly the concerto has a glorious 'big tune' climax).
Listen to this, then listen to Linberg's fellow Finn Rautavaara's own recent clarinet concerto, and sleep soundly in the knowledge that 'classical' music is alive and well in the 21st century.
The other reviewers touched on the accessibility of the work, compared with earlier Lindberg, and it is a good point. I, for one, am glad of this apparent softening of Linberg's harmonic language in his later years. Now at last we have a composer with a modernist's palette, moulding his more edgy techniques and sonorities into a beautiful, warm, and tuneful soundworld, which verges on the romantic (certainly the concerto has a glorious 'big tune' climax).
Listen to this, then listen to Linberg's fellow Finn Rautavaara's own recent clarinet concerto, and sleep soundly in the knowledge that 'classical' music is alive and well in the 21st century.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
There have been few great clarinet concertos written over the centuries but this adds to the small list. The haunting opening melody sounds folky and not a little like the bassoon introduction to the Rite of Spring. The music is quite spring like and sunny with none of the convulsive violence in the Rite. The folk like melody acts as a thread to bind the work together before an assertive restatement at the work's very satisfying conclusion. As the other reviewer mentioned, there is a nod to Gershwin along the way but Lindberg doesn't need to make any references to other peoples work: this is a great piece in its own right.
The writing is of the upmost clarity and Lindberg has a great understanding of the solo instrument here. The recording is crystal clear and superbly played by all, particularly, Kari Kriikku the soloist.
Gran Chorale continues this fine clarity of writing. With limited resources Lindberg produces a work that seems larger; his violin concerto similarly makes a chamber ensemble sound like a full orchestra. If there is to be one quibble it is that we get little over 50 minutes of music. That's not enough, though spreading his works over more cd's helps fill Lindberg's pocket and I don't begrudge him that.
For many this will be an ideal introduction to Lindberg's work. It is directly approachable but challenging too. His most recent works continue this mostly tonal and harmonically rich approach: you might want to try his equally fine violin concerto, concerto for orchestra, Sculpture II and Seht Die Sonne. The earlier work may be challenging but there is much great music too. Lindberg is one of the great masters of orchestral writing so give it a try.
The writing is of the upmost clarity and Lindberg has a great understanding of the solo instrument here. The recording is crystal clear and superbly played by all, particularly, Kari Kriikku the soloist.
Gran Chorale continues this fine clarity of writing. With limited resources Lindberg produces a work that seems larger; his violin concerto similarly makes a chamber ensemble sound like a full orchestra. If there is to be one quibble it is that we get little over 50 minutes of music. That's not enough, though spreading his works over more cd's helps fill Lindberg's pocket and I don't begrudge him that.
For many this will be an ideal introduction to Lindberg's work. It is directly approachable but challenging too. His most recent works continue this mostly tonal and harmonically rich approach: you might want to try his equally fine violin concerto, concerto for orchestra, Sculpture II and Seht Die Sonne. The earlier work may be challenging but there is much great music too. Lindberg is one of the great masters of orchestral writing so give it a try.
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