Penguin Guide 3 stars.
This album features Eduard Tubin's *Requiem for Fallen Soldiers* and *Symphony No. 10*, performed by the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra under Neeme Järvi.
The *Requiem for Fallen Soldiers*, completed in 1979, is a poignant work that honors soldiers who sacrificed their lives in Estonia's wars. The five movements set texts by Estonian poets Henrik Visnapuu and Marie Under, exploring themes of loss, mourning, and national pride. The music blends elements of traditional requiem forms with Tubin’s distinct style, incorporating organ, timpani, trumpet, and choir to evoke deep emotion and reflection. The final movement revisits the opening theme, underscored by an Estonian folk song played by the trumpet, symbolizing the dying soldier’s thoughts of home.
Tubin’s *Symphony No. 10*, composed in 1973, is structured as a single continuous movement, yet embodies the characteristics of a traditional four-movement symphony. The symphony opens with a melancholic Adagio and transitions through dramatic allegro passages, lyrical episodes, and a climactic Adagio festivo. The work is marked by its intricate thematic development, rhythmic vitality, and Tubin’s skillful orchestration.
This recording captures Tubin’s ability to weave nationalistic elements with modern symphonic techniques, offering a profound tribute to Estonia’s history and his own personal experiences as an émigré composer.
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