Richard Pennycuick <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>The symphony is regarded as the first by a Finnish composer, having
>appeared before Sibelius's 1st and 2nd, and Melartin's 1st.  Apart from
>some details of other compositions, Grove has no more information.  It
>seems strange that none of the Scandinavian or Finnish record companies
>has, to my knowledge, recorded the symphony, especially in the light of its
>apparent significance in the history of Finnish music.  Does anyone know
>anything further about either the symphony or why Mielck died at such an
>early age?

Actually, Mielck's symphony is available on a Sterling CD, together
with the Concert Piece for piano and orchestra (Liisa Pohjola, piano,
Turku Philharmonic Orchestra, cond.  Hannu Lintu, CD Sterling CDS-1035-2).
I have not brought myself to acquiring it so far, but it is said to be
worthy of his teacher Bruch.

A wealth of information about virtually every Finnish composer can be
found on the remarkable Finnish Music Information Center website:
http://www.fimic.fi/fimic/fimic.nsf/pages/mic51.htm

Quite a few other Finnish symphonies seem to cry for recordings, not just
those by "modernists" A.Merikanto, Raitio and Pingoud (I heard half of
the latter's 1st and it was quite interesting, leaner and firmer than the
highly Scriabinesque symphonic poems for which he is best known), but also
works by H.Leiviska and others.

Best wishes,

Thanh-Tam Le