Heino Eller - "The Bells" ("Kellad" in Estonian) - Piano World Piano & Digital Piano Forums

Hi,

Recorded on the 13th of June 2013 in a studio that advertises itself as professional.

But.. Piano was not so good... pedal squeakes.

Best wishes,
Jaak

LINK

Hi, Jaak! Eller is a new name for me -- although, after "Googling" him, I see that he was well-known and esteemed in Estonia. Considering that "The Bells" was written in 1929, I find this piece quite strikingly contemporary in "feel" -- or, to be more precise, if I listened to this piece not knowing who wrote it, I would have said that it was an American composition from the late 1930s or 1940s. To my ears, the opening theme almost has the quality of a "blues" slow dance, and the semi-improvisatory development sections have a bright, splashy polytonal cast very characteristic of the many American NeoClassicists writing from 1930 - 1960 or so.

Most interesting, and thanks for sharing this!

Hi Tim,

Firstly thank you for listening and commenting.

I agree that Eller is quite contemporary in that time. And he might be now mostly known as the teacher of Arvo PÃ¤rt and some other Estonian composers. But still I think he has written some really valuable and good music.

But which composers did you mean with American NeoClassicists? It would be interesting to learn to know somebody new as well

Best,
Jaak

Hi, Jaak! Well, off the top of my head, here are some names for your consideration:

Vincent Persichetti
Norman Dello Joio
William Schuman
Roger Sessions
Harold Shapero (who just recently died, at age 94)
Irving Fine
David Diamond
Peter Mennin
Ross Lee Finney
Gail Kubik
Quincy Porter
Elliott Carter (at least in 1945, anyway -- he changed later)
Ned Rorem
George Antheil

There are, of course, others, but that is who comes to mind, largely because in most cases I've programmed some of their solo piano music.

Hi Tim,

That is a lot, which is good

I will check them out.
Very interesting.

Thank you!

I had just learned of this piece a few weeks ago, and now here is your recording! I love it. Eller is worthy of note; another composer who's creativity was suppressed, but he made the best of it. You play it very well, and I'm glad you're exposing it to the audience here.

Thank you very much D.S.F

Where and how did you find that piece by Eller?

Best,
Jaak

Thanks - I had not heard this piece before. Intriguing stuff, and convincingly played.

I first noticed Eller's music a few months ago when a recording of some of his piano music was offered in the monthly catalog of Records International (there's a 7-CD "complete piano music" project in process on the Toccata Classics label - the pianist is Sten Lassmann). That lead me to search his name on YouTube, and I ended up randomly listening to various compositions of his, mostly orchestral. An interesting composer.