Stefan Solyom REPERTOIRE TIPS Choral works with orchestra REVIEWS Freak out! in Gothenburg The instrumentation underlined and elucidated the (from video clip) content of the music, often with a sense of humour. In addition, there was an easily accessible rhythmic ANDERS ELIASSON NILS LINDBERG Homage to vocal beauty structure that held out its hand to the listener. Dante Anarca (1998) Dur: 80’ Requiem (1993) Dur: 45’ One is impressed by the marvellous overtones that Göteborgsposten 23.2. soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, mixed chorus 2 sopranos, baritone, mixed chorus and enlarged Sandström can elicit from the choir…Choir, per- Gallery/Erica National Finnish OthmanPhoto: and orchestra: 3344-4331-14-2hp-str big band: 2000-2440-12-5sax-pf-double bass cussion, organ, soloists and brass together form a Syncopations come reeling like skeletons in a Text: Giacomo Oreglia Text: Requiem (Lat) glimmering majesty around the text of the Catho- steady wind; absurd whirlwinds spring up from (Dante Anarca e i suoi sei maesteri, Ita) Lindberg combines jazz with Swedish folk lic Requiem…In the penultimate movement, “Lux bands of fog; frightening rumblings turn unexpect- Eliasson keeps up the tension and energy music and Gregorian harmonies to create a aeterna”, Rombo and Dragojevic sing a duet so edly into the purest major…Indeed, who doesn’t throughout this seven-movement apocalyptic oratorio. The music dark, brooding and gripping Requiem. Expressive vocal parts, including lovely that one’s thoughts inevitably go to the clas- want to freak out in Burbank? Gävle Dagblad 29.4. moves between the wildly furious, the intensely expressive and the sic gem “Flower Duet” from Delibes’ opera “Lakmé”. characteristic ancient folk song ornaments, and choral movements in Albert Schnelzer: A Freak in Burbank tenderly beautiful, and leads to a radiant fi nal movement where Dante Expressen 24.3. “Gregorian Dalecarlian style” are framed by the mighty and periodically Gothenburg SO/Stefan Solyom, 21.2.2013 Gothenburg, is depicted as the liberator, the sharpest arrow against evil, fraud, do- hard swinging big band. Sven-David Sandström: Requiem Gävle SO/Jaime Martin, 26.4.2013 Gävle, Sweden minion and mammon. He is “the beating heart of our future”. World premiere: Swedish RSO & Swedish Radio Choir/Gustaf Sjökvist, EINOJUHANI RAUTAVAARA sol. Elin Rombo, Katija Dragojevic, Olle Persson, Matthew Rose, 23.3.2013 , Sweden KIMMO HAKOLA On the Last Frontier (1998) Dur: 24’ Powerful Vanitas premiere Magnifi cent Heiniö sound in space Song of Songs (2006) Dur: 50’ mixed chorus and orchestra: Linjama’s Vanitas for choir is a powerful sermon… The blaring French horns and rumbling trombones solo baritone, vocal ensemble, mixed chorus and 3233-4331-12-hp-str Debussy inspired the diaphanous nature scenes and were placed on the platform, likewise the celesta, the orchestra: 2222-2200-01-hp-pf+cel-str Text: Rautavaara after Edgar Allan Poe (Eng) heavenly visions. Brahms’s Ein Deutsches Requiem jazzy trumpets above them…The eff ect of this sound Text: Bible (Eng) Rautavaara’s fantasy opens with a sumptu- hovers in the background. Linjama handles his big in space was magnifi cent. Helsingin Sanomat 26.4. Song of Songs is a large-scale, radiant orato- ous, mysterious orchestral section. Beauti- Arne Hyckenberg Photo: mixed choir with assurance and variety. Mikko Heiniö: Sonata da chiesa rio incorporating the whole of the Old Testa- ful, shining fl ute and oboe solos against a choral background alternate Helsingin Sanomat 26.4. Finnish RSO/Arvo Volmer, 24.4.2013 , Finland ment Song of Songs in English. Harmony, beauty and lyricism are basic Jorma Hynninen with a sea of orchestral sound in stormy majesty. The poem by Edgar Jyrki Linjama: Vanitas ingredients of Hakola’s music. The very text is, he says, itself like music, Allan Poe made an indelible impression on Rautavaara while he was World premiere: Finnish RSO & Dominante, Murtosointu choirs/Arvo and packed with symbolism. It is also an erotic song of praise to love. VVeli-Mattieli-Matti still a lad, and through the text the choir transports the listener on a New Hakola opera Volmer, 24.4. 2013 Helsinki, Finland PPuumalauumala mysterious voyage towards the limits of the unknown. Hynninen brims with vigour and passion in Kim- mo Hakola’s monologue opera Akseli…Hakola OLLI KORTEKANGAS Vuorjoki Saara Photo: HILDING ROSENBERG continues his recent melodic line in this opera. Seven Songs for Planet Earth (2011) The music has its origins in National Romanticism Dur: 40’ The Revelation of St. John – but Hakola is also skilled at modern distancing.

Katija Dragojevic and Elin Rombo Horn Matthias Photo: mezzo-soprano and baritone, mixed chorus, Symphony No. 4 (1940) Dur: 75’ The melodic ecstasy is often dreamily melan- children’s chorus and orchestra: baritone, mixed chorus and orchestra: choly… Helsingin Sanomat 2.3. 2222-2221-12-hp-str Pungent for saxophone 2222-4431-22-hp-pf-cel-str Tuomela’s idiom is at times pungent, at times even Text: Wendell Berry, St Francis of Assisi etc. (Eng) Text: Bible/Chorales to texts by Hjalmar Gullberg Kaleidoscope – a metaphor that aptly applies to very lyrically beautiful. Saxophone virtuoso Joona- This is a sweeping, ecological work, a refl ection on nature and its fra- (Sw/Eng) the constantly changing characters in Hakola’s tan Rautoila was able to demonstrate his skills in a gility. The heart of it is the poetry of Wendell Berry, a US poet, farmer This is a fl aming protest against violence and war. It is also music with music. At best, it provided beautiful vocal melo- variety of ways in dialogue with the orchestra’s dif- and academic. One of the major repeated motifs is the beautiful idea long lines and sharp contrasts between dynamic, forceful oratorio dies gratifying for the soloist and mighty, throb- ferent instruments. Karjalainen 13.4. of expanding circles. Included are also some primitive elements such blocks, ethereal a cappella choruses, and expressionistically sugges- bing instrumental writing… Hufvudstadbladet 5.3. Tapio Tuomela: Swap, Concerto for Saxophone as yoiking, a tradition of the Sámi people in Finland. tive recitatives for baritone and brass. The development goes from Kimmo Hakola: Akseli, monologue opera Intimate expression and Sinfonietta horror towards light and hope of “a new heaven and a new earth”. World premiere: Avanti!/Ville Matvejeff , sol. Jorma Hynninen, The premiere aff orded something quite special and World premiere: Joensuu CO/Sasha Mäkilä, sol. Joonatan Rautoila 28.2.2013 Helsinki, Finland distinctive. Tear is characterised by intimate expres- TIMOJUHANI KYLLÖNEN 13.4.2013 Joensuu, Finland SVENDAVID SANDSTRÖM sion that speaks to the listener. The bittersweet mood Missa Festiva (2008) Dur: 31’ Inspiring Dream Play in Weimar culminates in a sound all of its own at around the mid- soprano, baritone, mixed chorus, organ and Magnifi cat (2005) Dur: 20’ Lidholm’s sensual, undogmatic and continually dle: modal jazz mixed with sighing and scratching. chamber orchestra: 0000-0000-12-str Dafgård – of Spring SATB soli, mixed chorus and chamber orchestra: surprising musical language creates a kaleido- Hufvudstadsbladet 4.3. Text: Mass (Lat) 2fl -3trpt-timp-org/hpd-str Tuuli Heikki Photo: This evening’s opening piece Volo for string orchestra scope of impressions of human life…The big a Veli-Matti Puumala: Tear Kyllönen’s Mass is, despite its , Text: Magnifi cat (Lat) was characterised by rhythmical fi gures in a lively cappella choral movements are spectacular… World premiere: Tapiola Sinfonietta/Hannu Lintu, 1.3.2013 Espoo, highly melodic, and precisely because of Sandström’s jubilant Magnifi cat corresponds dance, excellently captured in fl ight over both strings Gesellschaft Freunde der Künste 30.4. its beauty and melody easily accessible to the public at large. The or- to Bach’s original in many ways in respect and life’s rushing treadmill. Dagens Nyheter 17.2. Finland gan’s role is to be part of the orchestra, as if to replace the missing to the outer form and instrumentation. The work opens in genuine Jörgen Dafgård: Volo The dialectic is captured brilliantly in Ingvar Lid- wind instruments. The Mass has a clear dramatic charge from the very baroque manner with timpani and trumpets and a rhythmical and Swedish Radio SO/Jukka-Pekka Saraste, 15.2.2013 Stockholm, Sweden holm´s music…He plays with stylistic devices Aho’s enchanting Gejia beginning. It also has zest, a dance-like quality and echoes of Lat- joyful choral texture. The tone language is diatonic or triadic almost such as plainchant, waltzes and polkas, which The super-evocative percussion parts indicated at in-American rhythms. throughout. But also infl uences from early church music, Gregorian Nature’s mystique presents itself immediately in he mixes together in his exquisite modern tone the very outset that something very special was hap- chant and imitative counterpoint can be found. Dafgård’s music. But also the pumping rhythms. The language. pening. Aho had sought his melodic building blocks LARSERIK LARSSON clarinet concerto opens with a heavily loaded artillery Thüringische Landeszeitung 22.4. among the traditions of the Gejia, a minority people JEAN SIBELIUS salvo from the brass… then the piece glides into a fog in Southern China, and used them in a most sophis- Förklädd gud/A God Disguised of strings and a dreamlike state that is lifted by the The big choir both acts and sings splendidly…In ticated way so that the whole almost, but not quite (1940) Dur: 30’ Oma Maa (My Own Land) third movement’s triplet fi gures and tempo chang- Lidholm’s music the world may collapse, some- gave an “authentic” impression. Hufvudstadsbladet 14.4. reciter, soprano, baritone, mixed chorus and (1918) Dur: 11’ es… Dagens Nyheter 6.5. times with a scornful laugh, sometimes with : Gejia orchestra, original version: 2222-2210-10-hp- mixed choir and orchestra: 2222-4230-11-str Jörgen Dafgård: Clarinet Concerto sensitivity and sorrow, but it can also occur with Finnish premiere: Lahti SO/Dima Slobodeniouk, 11.4.2013 Lahti, Finland str, reduced version: 1111-2100-10-pf-str, sym- Text: Kallio (Fin/Swe) World premiere: Swedish Radio SO/Christian Eggen, 4.5.2013 Stock- lightning and thunder. And Staatskapelle Wei- phonic wind band: 1141-2331-12-double bass Maan virsi (Hymn to the Earth) holm, Sweden mar, with conductor Stefan Solyom, performs Text: Hjalmar Gullberg (Sw/Eng/Ger) with all the colours and nuances. Attractive oboe-CD A lyrical suite in which recitation alternates with musical episodes. (1920) Dur: 10’ Die Deutsche Bühne 21.4. Of the many concertos that Aho has written, the The text is based on the Greek myth about Apollo, who visits the earth mixed choir and orchestra: 2222-4230-11-str Poesis in San Francisco Concerto for Oboe and Orchestra is one of the most Text: Eino Leino (Fin/Swe/Eng/Ger) disguised as a shepherd playing the fl ute. The basic mood of the work Poesis emerged as a vibrant and often gripping dis- Director Christian Sedelmayer has got magic attractive and innovative…The oboe concerto in par- These cantata gems have been overshadowed by the maestro’s other is bright, optimistic and almost pastoral, and the romantic tone lan- play of orchestral virtuosity...The piece off ers both hands when it comes to staging the tragic. An- ticular is a lovely piece which grows in stature with guage is simple and straightforward. A God Disguised has become a works. Despite their patriotic tone they serve as exciting portals to his vigor and surprise, and the orchestra delivered it other brilliant success… Thüringer Allgemeine 22.4. each hearing. theclassicalreviewer.blogspot.co.uk symphonic world. Oma maa is a sort of hymn to the nightless northern staple of Swedish choral repertoire. beautifully. San Francisco Chronicle 13.4. Kalevi Aho: Works for the Oboe night and towards the end achieves almost sacral rapture – a piece that Ingvar Lidholm: A Dream Play Ingvar Lidholm: Poesis (Oboe Concerto, Solo IX, Sonata for Oboe and Piano) has been hailed by several Sibelius scholars. Maan virsi is a deep-hued, Deutsches Nationaltheater und Staatskapelle Weimar/Stefan US premiere: San Francisco SO/Herbert Blomstedt, CD: Lahti SO/Martyn Brabbins, sol. Piet Van Bockstal, Yutaka Oya, piano Joonatan Rautoila Solyom, 20.4.2013 Weimar, Germany lyrical song in praise of nature, with charming orchestral sections. 11.4.2013 San Francisco, USA (BIS-SCD 1876)

HIGHLIGHTS 2/2013 HIGHLIGHTS 2/2013