Segerstam: Symphony No. 17/Streamings in the Soul [IMPORT]

Leif Segerstam (Composer), Leif Segerstam (Conductor), Leif Sergerstam (Conductor), Danmarks Radiosymfoniorkester (Orchestra)

Product Details

• Orchestra: Danmarks Radiosymfoniorkester
• Conductor: Leif Segerstam, Leif Sergerstam
• Composer: Leif Segerstam
• Audio CD (December 20, 1994)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Bis
• ASIN: B0000016LI
• Also Available in: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #596,086 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Leif Segerstam (b. 1944) was born in Finland, but has been an active advocate of Scandanavian music in general, especially during his stints as a conductor. Segerstam's symphonies do tend to fall squarely in the middle of current post-modern impulses, but they also tend to have form or structure and a very clear modal logic to them. Symphony No. 17 is atmospheric and, in places, tempestuous. His music also has strong affinities to Pettersson and Schnittke, but without sounding like either of them. Astonishingly, Segerstam's own conducting is quite illuminating on both the symphony and Streamings in the Soul. Rugged, intelligent music. --Paul Cook

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Forging of a New Musical Universe, April 21, 2000

By	timothy shuker (Glastonbury, England) - See all my reviews

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.