Magnus Lindberg: Aura - In Memoriam Witold Lutoslawski (1993-94) / Engine (1996) - Oliver Knussen / London Sinfonietta

Magnus Lindberg (Artist), Oliver Knussen (Artist), London Sinfonietta (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 8, 2000)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Deutsche Grammophon
• ASIN: B00004TTIG
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #376,613 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars worth hearing for AURA, one of Lindberg's best orchestral works, July 5, 2003

By 

R. Hutchinson "autonomeus" (a world ruled by fossil fuels and fossil minds) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Magnus Lindberg: Aura - In Memoriam Witold Lutoslawski (1993-94) / Engine (1996) - Oliver Knussen / London Sinfonietta (Audio CD)

My rating for this disc is simply the average of the two pieces -- 5 stars for AURA, 3 stars for ENGINE. AURA is magnificent, the composition that marked the fruition of Lindberg's mature style. It's interesting that he shies away from calling it a symphony, given that it has the standard four movements. Since AURA, Lindberg's orchestral compositions have been one movement works. ENGINE I find much less successful, a piece utilizing a computer program to generate complex counterpoint. Unfortunately it sounds like it was written by a computer, like a complex machine that grinds on to no purpose.

AURA, composed in 1993-4, like most of Lindberg's works since then, is in a neoromantic style, anchored in a contemporary sensibility but reaching back for tonality and complex harmonic development, influenced by Lutoslawski among others. (AURA is dedicated to Lutoslawski, and Lindberg's friend the conductor Salonen has recorded performances of the L.A. Philharmonic playing Lutoslawki's Symphonies 2, 3 and 4.) Lindberg has developed his challenging yet accessible approach even further on the recent The Music of Magnus Lindberg disc on Sony, which I recommend as the best of Lindberg (see my review). There are also two discs on the Finnish Ondine label, each featuring three of Lindberg's orchestral compositions since his stylistic turn in the late 1980s.

Unfortunately Lindberg seems to have run out of creative inspiration in the new millennium. If you enjoy the Sony set of four compositions and you want to hear AURA, you can either track down a used copy or wait for it to be reissued by Arkiv Music. Arkiv has started reissuing the DG 20/21 discs, so it's likely to reappear one of these days.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Modern "Metropolis", June 13, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Magnus Lindberg: Aura - In Memoriam Witold Lutoslawski (1993-94) / Engine (1996) - Oliver Knussen / London Sinfonietta (Audio CD)

My line coming from that this music reminds me of a postmodern/modern version that might had suit Fritz Langs film "Metropolis" even if this is NOT "motor music" or minimalism that you find in Philip Glass music.

Anyway... this is Lindbergs best music so far (and I include his new disc at Sony -june 2002- in that opinion) and it is an importent modern work that has a line, something to say and that is not always you could find that in Lindbergs works but on this Lindberg and conductor Knussen succeeds delivering.

A must have for people intrested in modern classical music.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars One great piece, one unsuccessful piece from a fine composer, November 1, 2004

By 

Christopher Culver - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Magnus Lindberg: Aura - In Memoriam Witold Lutoslawski (1993-94) / Engine (1996) - Oliver Knussen / London Sinfonietta (Audio CD)

This disc in Deutsche Grammaphon's "20/21" line of contemporary music presents two pieces by Finnish composer Magnus Lindberg performed by the BBC Symphony Orchestra ("Aura") and the London Sinfonietta ("Engine") conducted by Oliver Knussen. While Magnus Lindberg is one of my favourite composers, I feel that this disc does not represent his best recent work.

Lindberg's oeuvre can be split into two periods. That of his youth was squarely within the avant-garde and culminated in 1985's "Kraft", a massive work (the score is nearly a meter tall) of titanic forces using not only traditional instrumentation, but also lots of clinking and clanking and spoken word. The result, though conceptually interesting, shows music out of control where its disparate parts are not closely intergrated. After a hiatus of over three years, Lindberg returned with his trilogy "Kinetics"-"Marea"-"Joy", where his new compositional technique had him building giant networks of harmonies but keeping them all meticulously managed and interrelated. This is the style he has continued with to this day, and in it he has created some true masterpieces of modern-classical music, such as "Feria", "Cantigas", and his "Cello Concerto". The two pieces on this disc are from this second period.

The four-movement "Aura", written in 1993-94 and dedicated to the memory of Witold Lutoslawski (whose use of harmony Lindberg learned and even surpassed), is his longest work, and though nearly anyone would think it a symphony, Lindberg has not called it so. The work has many interesting moments, and had it been a little shorter this could have been one of Lindberg's best works. Unfortunately, it does seem to repeat the mistake of "Kraft" in that the instrumental forces fly out of Lindberg's control. Some sections maintain closely-knit forms, but far too much of the work seems uncertain and meandering. In 2003 Lindberg's "Concerto for Orchestra" appeared, which succeeds with the aim of exploring the orchestra in its entirety, but "Aura" fell short of the mark.

"Engine" is more successful and conceptually quite fascinating. A study in the juxtaposition of contrapunctual elements, it was realised with the help of computer software, which Lindberg has found most helpful for the complicated systems of his compositions. It also shows some impressive games with rhythm. This is the piece I keep coming back to this disc for.

The BBC Symphony Orchestra and London Sinfonietta give satisfactory performances. I particularly like the comfort the Sinfonietta shows with "Engine". Oliver Knussen's conducting seems dependable, but I would have liked to hear how Lindberg's old school chum and oft conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen would have handled the two pieces. The liner notes are also quite informative about Lindberg's work and his principles. I am disappointed, however, that DG did not include another work to fill this 51-minute disc. The majority of Lindberg's works could have easily fit in the remaining space.

If you have not heard Lindberg's work before, I'd recommend staring with the MUSIC OF MAGNUS LINDBERG disc on Sony, though "Feria"-"Corrente II"-"Arena" on Ondine is also a good choice. While "Aura" is one of his larger works, I don't think it works too well, and "Engine" isn't enough on its own to introduce one to this fine composer's work.