FRIDAY SERIES 5 Olari Elts, Conductor Risto-Matti Marin, Piano

10.11. FRIDAY SERIES 5 Helsinki Music Centre at 19.00

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PIANOESPOO FESTIVAL

Olari Elts, conductor Risto-Matti Marin, piano

J. S. Bach / Ottorino Respighi: Prelude and Fugue in 10 min D Major

Matthew Whittall: Nameless Seas, concerto for piano 35 min and orchestra, fpF (co-commissioned by the PianoEspoo Festival and the National Arts Centre Corporation) I Nocturne II Land and Sea III Wake Cadenza IV Unclaimed Waters

INTERVAL 20 min

Sergei Rachmaninoff / Ottorino Respighi: 7 min La mer et les mouettes, Op. 39, No. 2

Sergei Rachmaninoff: Symphonic Dances, Op. 45 37 min 1. Non allegro – Lento – Tempo I 2. Andante con moto (Tempo di valse) 3. Lento assai – Allegro vivace – Lento assai – Allegro vivace

1 The LATE-NIGHT CHAMBER MUSIC will begin in the main Concert Hall after an interval of about 10 minutes. Those attending are asked to take (unnumbered) seats in the stalls.

Risto-Matti Marin, piano

Matthew Whittall: From the collection Leaves of Grass – 12 preludes for piano after Walt Whitman: Prelude no. 6 “On the beach at night” 5 min Prelude no. 7 “A noiseless patient spider” 4 min Prelude no. 11 “Song of the universal” 11 min

Interval at about 20:00. The concert will end at about 21:20, the late-night chamber music at about 21:55. Broadcast live on Yle radio 1 and online at yle.fi/areena.

2 J. S. BACH / OTTORINO ing the different organ registers in his full-sized orchestra. RESPIGHI (1879–1936): Whereas Respighi is effusively dra- PRELUDE AND FUGUE matic in the Prelude, his handling of IN D MAJOR the Fugue focuses on the precision that singles out the contrapuntal lines into SERGEI streams and rivers of bubbling solos and RACHMANINOFF / fitting combinations of instruments. OTTORINO RESPIGHI: The result is a horn of plenty brimming LA MER ET LES with joie de vivre in which Bach seems to cheerfully shake hands with Fellini. MOUETTES The orchestral transcriptions of the Études Tableaux composed by His Roman trilogy established Ottorino Rachmaninoff for piano were a com- Respighi (1879–1936) as one of the fin- mission from the Boston Symphony est orchestrators of his day, in music Orchestra and its Music Director Serge combining the virtuosity and drama of Koussevitzky in 1930. Rachmaninoff Richard Strauss with the sensuality and personally chose a selection from his tone colours of Debussy. He applied his opus 33 (1911) and 39 (1917) and at the feel for colour not only in his own com- same time revealed to Respighi some- positions but also in his transcriptions thing of his original inspiration for the of works by other composers, beginning pieces: “These will certainly make the with the first set of Ancient Airs and character of these pieces more compre- Dances published in 1917. hensible and help you to find the neces- Respighi made many transcriptions sary colours for their orchestration.” of works by Bach. The Prelude and The commission shows that Fugue in D Major BWV 532 is one of Koussevitzky and Rachmaninoff trust- the best-known organ pieces of Bach’s ed Respighi and the orchestral col- years in Weimar. The prelude winds its ours he had inherited from Rimsky- way through many episodes, and the Korsakov. Rachmaninoff also proofread fugue is a dramatic, masterly orna- the orchestral parts. The biggest of the mented elaboration on an 8-bar theme. Études Tableaux transcribed by Respighi Neither had an original tempo marking, is the first one of the set, La mer et les thus allowing many later transcribers – mouettes (Op. 39/2), “The Sea and the from Ferruccio Busoni in 1888 onwards Seagulls” – plenty of leeway. Respighi’s transcription first creates a The Respighi transcription most prob- vista of the open sea in a recurring low- ably dates from 1929 and transfers strings figure over which glide melod- Bach’s Baroque mastery to a large sym- ic violin motifs. In the wave-like move- phony orchestra to spectacular effect. ment of the middle section, the more Respighi interprets Bach’s intentions majestic swell seems to mirror the with appealing abandon, cleverly mirror- murky shades of Rachmaninoff’s Island

3 of the Dead, after the painting by Arnold sometimes barely so – on its constantly Böcklin. Many of Respighi’s effects are shifting surface. There are few themes surprisingly modern and, compared to speak of, beyond a handful of icon- with his characteristic style, restrained. ic ideas that periodically cycle upward. Rather, the piano’s material is largely Antti Häyrynen an ornamentation of the more primal rhythmic and harmonic impulses from the orchestra below – a poetic interpre- MATTHEW WHITTALL tation, if you will, of the more immedi- (1975): NAMELESS ate experience of facing the vastness of some unknown body of water. SEAS The title Nameless Seas is borrowed from one of Thielhelm’s exhibitions, Images of the sea figure prominently as are those of the four movements, throughout my life and memories: from which are bridged together into two holidays on the Atlantic coast during halves of roughly equal weight – one my Canadian childhood to my current rhapsodic and free, the other more sin- Baltic home, and the imagined, only lat- gle-minded and direct, separated only er experienced Mediterranean of my an- by a short breath. The opening move- cestral heritage. As an immigrant (son ment, Nocturne, is predominantly calm, of an immigrant) bound to two north- if brooding, darkness and light alternat- ern countries, the sea is emblematic of ing throughout. Lyrical arabesques spar- my twin homelands, from the expans- kle over gently lapping cross-currents in es of water surrounding them to those the strings and mirrored timpani, the separating them. A Mari usque ad Mare. piano’s full power only rarely deployed. The sea is also an enduring image of The waves gradually build, drawing in the unknown, of expanses unexplored, the full orchestra for a meeting of forc- of the raw power of nature and, for too es in Land and Sea, a brighter, more many currently, of terror holding a hope warmly lyrical scene that unfolds in se- of refuge – or the pain of loss. ries of dreamlike, sometimes even nos- Such disparate ideas were captured talgic visions, which for me carry strong for me in the seascapes of the New York memories of sitting on rocks above painter MaryBeth Thielhelm, whom I surging Atlantic waves. The third move- met in 2008 during a residency on the ment, Wake, is a fast, perpetual-motion Gulf of Mexico. Her vast, abstract, near- texture of glinting, darting rhythms and ly monochromatic depictions of im- sudden shafts of light, with a prominent aginary seas in wildly varying moods part for the steel drums, limning the pi- were the catalyst for a concerto where ano’s quicksilver figurations. An ecstatic the piano is frequently far from a hero climax crashes into a solo cadenza that battling a collective, but rather acts as grows progressively calmer and more a channel for elemental forces surg- introspective rather than virtuosic. ing up from the orchestra, floating – Much of the tension finally releases into

4 Unclaimed Waters, a drifting, meditative The first dance begins with a march- seascape in which the piano is progres- ing theme fortified by its more mod- sively engulfed by a series of ever-taller ern-sounding staccato treatment. waves, ultimately dissolving into a toll- Headed by the woodwinds, the transi- ing, rippling continuum of sound. tion leads to an ultra-romantic melody It has been a great privilege to re- somewhat surprisingly entrusted to an alize such a long-held dream as this alto saxophone. The nostalgia of the piece, and to write it for not one, but middle section is compounded when two great pianists. Risto-Matti Marin the violins take up the theme. and Angela Hewitt, both of whose The second movement is a ghostly friendship and support have been un- waltz in which muted trumpets, a sen- failing and humbling, share the ded- timental solo on violin and oboe, and ication. Nameless Seas was commis- rasping violas accent the dance of the sioned by the PianoEspoo festival and lengthening shadows. The allegorical Canada’s National Arts Centre, with the nature of the music is most pronounced premieres in Ottawa and Helsinki led by in the last dance, and in its progression Hannu Lintu and Olari Elts. Thanks are from D minor to D major it is the most due also to the Jenny and Antti Wihuri symphonic. The slow movement paves fund, whose generous grant provid- the way for a gloomy Allegro vivace in ed me with much-needed time, and which tinkling bells and tambourines Escape2Create in Seaside, Florida, the enhance the ominous, demonic mood. source to which I returned to do a large The return of the main section grows part of the work. out of its jingling beginning into an even more furious dash that leaves the Matthew Whittall ending open.

Antti Häyrynen Programme notes by Antti Häyrynen SERGEI translated (abridged) by Susan Sinisalo RACHMANINOFF (1873–1943): OLARI ELTS SYMPHONIC DANCES Estonian Olari Elts is known worldwide The three Symphonic Dances by Sergei for his enthusiastic yet precise style Rachmaninoff (1873–1943) were orig- of conducting and his innovative pro- inally scored for two pianos but he gramming. Principal Guest Conductor more or less immediately transcribed of the Estonian National Symphony them for Eugene Ormandy and his Orchestra, he held the corresponding Philadelphians. He initially called them position with the Helsinki Philharmonic Fantastic Dances and gave them the ti- Orchestra from 2011 to 2014 and the tles Noon, Twilight and Midnight. Scottish Chamber Orchestra from 2007

5 to 2010. Between 2001 and 2006 he such as Eero Hämeenniemi, Sebastian was Principal Conductor of the Latvian Fagerlund and Matthew Whittall, have National Symphony Orchestra and he is composed works for him. a founder of the NYYD contemporary Risto-Matti Marin obtained an artistic music ensemble. doctorate in 2011, after studying at the The Vienna Symphony, Malaysian Kuopio Conservatory and the Sibelius Philharmonic, Danish Radio, Leipzig Academy and the following year was Gewandhaus, Seattle, Melbourne and awarded a three-year artist’s grant by City of Birmingham Symphonies are the Finnish Cultural Foundation. This among the many orchestras with which was followed by a five-year state artist’s Elts has made guest appearances, and grant in 2015. he has also conducted at Arctic Opera in Norway, the Estonian National Opera and the Opéra de Rennes in France. In the present season Elts will be conducting the Warsaw and Seoul THE FINNISH Philharmonic Orchestras, RTE Dublin and taking part in a performance of A RADIO SYMPHONY Midsummer Night’s Dream combining ORCHESTRA Shakespeare and Mendelssohn at the Berlin Konzerthaus. The recordings by Elts of works by The Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra Erkki-Sven Tüür and of Brahms tran- (FRSO) is the orchestra of the Finnish scriptions by Detlev Glanert and Luciano Broadcasting Company (Yle). Its mis- Berio have garnered glowing reviews. sion is to produce and promote This season he continues recording the Finnish musical culture and its Chief works of Estonian composer Heino Eller. Conductor as of autumn 2013 has been Hannu Lintu. His predecessors as Chief Conductor were Toivo Haapanen, Nils- RISTO-MATTI MARIN Eric Fougstedt, Paavo Berglund, Okko Kamu, Leif Segerstam, Jukka-Pekka In addition to his internationally ac- Saraste and Sakari Oramo. claimed solo CDs, Finnish pianist Risto- The FRSO celebrates its 90th anni- Matti Marin has contributed to discs versary in the 2017/2018 season, for the of many chamber works and made Radio Orchestra of ten players made numerous recordings for the Finnish its first appearance on September 1, Broadcasting Company (Yle). He has 1927, at the Aleksanterinkatu 46 studio appeared at most of the major Finnish in Helsinki. It began giving public con- music festivals, lectures on piano mu- certs a few years later and grew to sym- sic and holds masterclasses in differ- phony orchestra strength in the 1960s, ent parts of Finland. A number of lead- during Paavo Berglund’s term as Chief ing Finnish contemporary composers, Conductor.

6 In addition to the great Classical- Romantic masterpieces, the latest contemporary music is a major item in the repertoire of the FRSO, which each year premieres a number of Yle com- missions. Another of the orchestra’s tasks is to record all Finnish orchestral music for the Yle archive. During the 2017/2018 season, the FRSO will pre- miere six Finnish works commissioned by Yle. The programme will also include concert performances of three operas, the FRSO’s first festival of its own and major 20th-century violin concertos. The FRSO has recorded works by Mahler, Ligeti, Sibelius, Hakola, Lindberg, Saariaho, Sallinen, Kaipainen, Kokkonen and others, and the debut disc of the opera Aslak Hetta by Armas Launis. Its discs have reaped some pres- tigious distinctions, such as the BBC Music Magazine Award, the Académie Charles Cros Award and a MIDEM Classical Award. Its disc of Sibelius’s Lemminkäinen and Pohjola’s Daughter was Gramophone magazine’s Critic’s Choice in December 2015 and brought the FRSO and Hannu Lintu a Finnish Emma award in the Classical Album category. Music by Sibelius, Prokofiev, Lindberg, Bartók and others will be recorded during the 2017/2018 season. The FRSO regularly tours to all parts of the world. During the 2017/2018 season its schedule will include a European tour under Hannu Lintu. The home channel of the FRSO is Yle Radio 1, which broad- casts all the FRSO concerts, usually live, both in Finland and abroad. Its concerts can also be heard and watched with ex- cellent live stream quality in the web (yle.fi/areena).