Customer Reviews

Segerstam: Symphony No. 17, Streamings In The Soul

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Leif Segerstam is one of the most remarkable figures in 20th and 21st century music. His Symphonies (as of 2000 up to 33!) have a unique musical language that owes a lot to Mahler (in their emotional content-though more optimistic in general than him), Richard Strauss (in its heroic feel) and Shostakovitch (on a spiritual level). However, his music does not sound like any of these composers, indeed it inhabits a beautiful and rare sound world. The Symphony No.17 (thoughts before 1992) is one of his most beautiful works, inhabiting a world of sunny scandinavian nature mysticism unlike that of any other composer. Listening to it imparts to this listener at least a sense of peace and well being that is hard to duplicate. His pieces are literally "streams of consciousness ", directly from his soul to ours and speak in a language that only the Spirit understands. The title of the other work on the CD, "Streamings in the Soul" is thus a very appropriate description of the work of this most special and wonderful of geniuses. The recording and performance by the Danish National Radio SO is of the very highest quality and I can think of no better introduction to the work of this composer than listening to this CD.