Uploaded June 2025 | Updated September 2026, 4 days ago
00:04 I. Allegro assai
15:04 II. Andante sostenuto
28:43 III. Allegro ma non troppo
Estonian National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Tõnu Kaljuste
Original audio from youtube.com/watch?v=etBKv5SNjiE; I believe this is a 2012 radio recording.
Heino Eller (1887-1970) was an Estonian composer and teacher, arguably the most influential figure in 20th-century Estonian music. For more on Eller, see my score video of his "13 Piano Pieces on Estonian Motives": youtube.com/watch?v=aFiA2acudQo
Eller's first symphony, which apparently has yet to be commercially recorded, was written in 1936 when he was nearly fifty years old, unusually late for a prolific orchestral composer; thus, it showcases his mature style far more than many other composers' first essays in the genre. It is a colorful, luminous, motivically driven yet sometimes wandering work 40 minutes long, reflecting the composer's orchestrational talents as well as his highly individual style (with diverse influences from Impressionism, Expressionism, and perhaps even Neoclassicism here—in places it reminds me of Arthur Honegger.)
If you enjoyed this, I plan to upload Eller's third symphony soon as well.
00:04 I. Allegro assai
15:04 II. Andante sostenuto
28:43 III. Allegro ma non troppo
Estonian National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Tõnu Kaljuste
Original audio from youtube.com/watch?v=etBKv5SNjiE; I believe this is a 2012 radio recording.
Heino Eller (1887-1970) was an Estonian composer and teacher, arguably the most influential figure in 20th-century Estonian music. For more on Eller, see my score video of his "13 Piano Pieces on Estonian Motives": youtube.com/watch?v=aFiA2acudQo
Eller's first symphony, which apparently has yet to be commercially recorded, was written in 1936 when he was nearly fifty years old, unusually late for a prolific orchestral composer; thus, it showcases his mature style far more than many other composers' first essays in the genre. It is a colorful, luminous, motivically driven yet sometimes wandering work 40 minutes long, reflecting the composer's orchestrational talents as well as his highly individual style (with diverse influences from Impressionism, Expressionism, and perhaps even Neoclassicism here—in places it reminds me of Arthur Honegger.)
If you enjoyed this, I plan to upload Eller's third symphony soon as well.
![EDUARD TUBIN - Symphony No. 11 [unfinished] (Score Video)](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/l-vYcU8buKo/mqdefault.jpg "EDUARD TUBIN - Symphony No. 11 [unfinished] (Score Video)
Estonian National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Arvo Volmer
Eduard Tubin (1905-1982) was an Estonian composer and conductor, his countrys most prolific and arguably greatest symphonist. Having completed his studies under another very prominent Estonian composer, Heino Eller (whose music I also plan to upload), in independent Estonia, Tubin fled following the Soviet reoccupation of his country in 1944. He settled permanently in Sweden for the rest of his life, writing many of his most important works, being elected a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music, and becoming a Swedish citizen in 1961. In addition to an impressive eleven symphonies, Tubin wrote two operas, the first Estonian ballet (Kratt), concerti for double bass and balalaika, choral music, art songs, and chamber and solo works (particularly violin and piano music.)
For those unacquainted with Tubin, his orchestral music - particularly the symphonies of his middle and later period - shares some common elements with Shostakovich, often marrying relatively rigid formal structures like fugues with rather astringent harmonic ideas and an unexpected emotional intensity. He also brought Estonian folk music into several of his works. Although Tubins work was initially somewhat unrecognized outside Estonia (even in Sweden), it has gained prominence in the last few decades due to the efforts of Estonian conductors including Neeme and Paavo Järvi.
The eleventh symphony, which Tubin was working on when he passed away in 1982, combines the aforementioned characteristics with a rather bright orchestration typical of his later music. The last minute or so of the first movement was completed by the Estonian-Canadian composer Kaljo Raid, resulting in the recording here; the score I have available is a copy of Tubins manuscript and thus does not contain this completion.
I now have scores of all of Tubins symphonies except the first; some of them are scans of old and battered copies, so they will take a little longer to upload - especially as most of his symphonic works are quite substantial in both musical material and length. I also plan to post his balalaika concerto soon, so if you enjoyed this work, stay tuned for more!")
