SHIFTING LANDSCAPES

John Adams & Lepo Sumera

"Shifting Landscapes"
The Symphony Orchestra of Norrlands Opera · Kristjan Järvi

"Between Rock and Runo"
The 20th century has challenged music to find a new orientation. Younger composers focussed again on the fascination of the unhindered unfolding of sound. The taboo of using tonality was broken in order to create a new sensuality of sound.

It is fascinating to compare the musical works of John Adams and Lepo Sumera. As different as the sound spheres of these composers are they have the same kind of sensitive rhythmic basic pattern - a living and constant pulse beat that seems to mirror the eternal balance of life.

The combined sources of their inspiration create a cosmos of varying styles, a sounding spectrum of the last century. While the fantasy of Adams' delightful sound mix is inspired by Minimal Art, rock and jazz, the modal tonality of Sumera's style vibrates the atavistic magic of runes. As contrary as these different musical positions may seem to be, both attract our attention through their extraordinary art of instrumentation.

John Adams (1947) is one of the most fascinating figures in the younger generation of American composers. Esa-Pekka Salonen and Kent Nagano conducted his orchestral works. Adams has also conducted renowned orchestras and has been honoured with many awards.

Lepo Sumera (1950-2000) lived in Tallinn/Estonia. His style combines traditional and contemporary techniques experimenting with Dodekaphony as well as with collages and modality. An essential and basic element in his music is the archaic Runo Song, which also shimmers magically in his symphonies.

Kristjan Järvi was born in Tallinn/Estonia and moved to New York when he was a young boy. Here he formed an ensemble of his own which he could use as a vehicle for revolutionizing the way people hear and think about music: The Absolute Ensemble. As principal conductor of the Symphony Orchestra of Norrlands Opera he aims to break down the barriers between different musical genres, revitalise the concert form, and reach young audiences.

The Symphony Orchestra of Norrlands Opera Originally the orchestra was founded as a military band, established in Umeå, North Sweden) in 1841. Today it emphasize the fact that it plays both opera and symphony music as well as being a resource for the whole of Norrland region. Between 1996 and 2000 Roy Goodman was principal conductor. He was succeeded by Kristjan Järvi.

TRACKLIST

JOHN ADAMS (1947)
1) Fearful Symmetries, for orchestra (1988).....27:05

LEPO SUMERA (1950-2000)
Symphony No. 2 (1984) 19:34
2) I. Moderato Tranquillo....(7:15)
3) II. Interludium....(3:50)
4) III Spirituoso....(8:29)

JOHN ADAMS
5) The Chairman Dances, foxtrot for orchestra (1985)....11:26

Recorded at Norrlands Opera, Umeå, Sweden, May 2001
in 5-channel Direct Stream Digital (DSD™)
This Stereo/Multichannel Hybrid SACD™ can be played on any compact disc player.

Please visit the website of The Symphony Orchestra of Norrlands Opera at our link page.

Press review:

Shifting Landscapes - JOHN ADAMS:
Fearful Symmetries for Orchestra, The Chairman Dances; LEPO SUMERA: Symphony No. 2 - Symphony Orchestra of the Norrlands Opera/Kristian Järvi - CCn'C Records 01912 Multichannel SACD:

This is hands-down the best surround sound orchestral recording I have ever heard. Pardon my starting with the techy stuff since the music is so terrific too, but all two-channel diehards who think surround for music is absurd must hear this multichannel SACD on a properly set up system with identical speakers all the way around. I find it even images fantastically when you are outside the area bounded by the five main speakers - just like good Ambisonic playback. The acoustic perspective the label achieves seems to be right in the middle of the orchestra (and my surround speakers are equa-distant to me from the front trio of speakers) - the tubular bell in the Sumera symphony is uncanny in its presence. It appears to be towards the left rear of one's listening position. Somehow with this sort of music the center perspective works perfectly, involving the listener to the utmost.

This German label seems to be leading the way in Europe with multichannel SACD recordings. They used the new Sonoma DSD recorder/editor plus A/D and D/A converters designed by Ed Meitner. The music is equally fine - a pair of modern orchestral works growing out of the minimalist movement by creating what the liner note writer calls "a new sensuality of sound" free from the bounds of serial conformity. And both works sounds as though they could be by the same composer though in truth one hails from California and the other from Estonia. Adams' Fearful Symmetries is as symmetrical as its title indicates, but this is not the Philip Glass type of minimalism by any means. His orchestra, enlarged with synthesizer and saxophones, as well as his general sound-world, is similar to Adams' opera Nixon in China. The SACD then closes out with the composer's big hit from that opera, the foxtrot for orchestra The Chairman Dances.

Sumera, who died in 2000, combines traditional and contemporary techniques in a music influenced by the landscapes and heritage of his country as well as its political struggles. His three-movement symphony is based on themes from an earlier violin-piano sonata by the composer and spins endless melodies in a fantasy-type of structure. Watch the counter because you may not be able to tell where Adams ends and Sumera begins. - John Sunier

"Modernists with a good taste"
A new Principal Conductor and a new direction. The young Kristjan Järvi has led the Symphony orchestra of Norrlands Opera in Umeå closer to the contemporary music. And nothing wrong with that. Among all rough, emotionally cold and hard to listen to modernists there are ones that has something to tell us. And doing it in a fabulous way. Take the Estonian Lepo Sumera and his second symphony. The orchestra´s sounds in the last movement, that opens up a rather closed piece of music, is among the most beautiful I´ve ever heard. Alongside Lepo Sumera two pieces of the american composer John Adams is presented, that in a very attractive way blends minimalism and shades of both older and modern music. Kristjan Järvi´s handling of the orchestra´s sound is magnificient. Almost never has the orchestra sounded this good. What a catch Norrlands Opera has done!" Mikael Bengtsson, Norra Västerbotten in Skelleftea/North-Sweden

Press reviews

Dans la famille Järvi... Connaissiez-vous Kristjan ?
Les dynasties sont parfois étonnantes. Pas toutes, mais certaines. Chez les Bach, ce n'était pas si mal. Chez les Järvi aussi, c'est assez étonnant. On connaissait Neeme, le fondateur du nom, devenu un peu trop rare ces temps-ci, ce qui est dommage. On a connu ensuite Paavo, qui vole à son tour vers le succès.

Mais le plus "hype" est incontestablement l'autre fils, Kristjan. Kristjan Järvi est le chef et le fondateur de "Absolute Ensemble" à New York, Principal Conductor au Norrlands Opera à Umea, en Suède. Il dit : "We are definitely at a moment in music where rock and pop and classical and jazz, they're all coming to the centre and that's Absolute." En tout cas, nous sommes heureux d'annoncer la parution chez Abeille Musique de ses deux premiers albums.

Celui consacré à John Adams sera récompensé d'un Diapason Découverte en décembre prochain. Vous pouvez le découvrir dès à présent ! Et bientôt nous aurons le plaisir de vous faire découvrir sa soeur, la flûtiste Marika Järvi ! Mais oui !
Kristjan Järvi chez Abeille Musique !
http://abeillemusique.com/result.php?mots2=kristjanjarvi