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norHIGHLIGHTS 3/2015 NEWSLETTER FROM GEHRMANS MUSIKFÖRLAG & FENNICA GEHRMAN

Focus on Matthew Whittall

Seven questions for Tobias Broström NEWS

Focus on Pohjannoro Music by Hannu Pohjannoro can be heard at two concerts of his works in October: at the Music Centre on the 15th of the month and the Tampere Music Academy on the 22nd. In addi- u/Music Finland j ff tion to two new song cycles (See: ytöhar

K Premieres) there will be works for chamber ensemble and a large- scale percussion quartet called time Photo: Maarit Photo: Marco Feklisto u/Music Finland exposures. Performing them will be j Mats Larsson Gothe Kirmo Lintinen Tuuli Lindeberg (soprano), Petri ytöhar New composers Antikainen (bass-baritone), the K Fennica Gehrman has signed a publishing agreement with Kirmo Lintinen Osuma Ensemble and Tampere

(b. 1967) for 12 works. A versatile musician and composer, Lintinen can look Raw. Photo: Maarit back over a long career in jazz, as a composer, arranger, pianist and conductor. He nevertheless regards himself primarily as a composer in genres ranging from jazz to classical – sometimes cheerfully intermixed. In recent years he Major prize for Aho concerto disc has been concentrating particularly on concert music, which nowadays con- stitutes the bulk of his considerable output. Among the works covered by the The recording of Kalevi Aho’s theremin and horn concertos has won new publishing agreement are concertos for piano, clarinet, guitar, accordion the prestigious ECHO Classic Award for the best concerto disc of the year. and tuba, Mobile festivo for orchestra and six pieces of chamber music. The award ceremony will be at the Konzerthaus on October 18 Gehrmans has begun collaboration with Mats Larsson Gothe (b. 1965) where the theremin soloist, Carolina Eyck, will be accepting the award on and will publish his two latest orchestral works Autumn Diary for chamber behalf of BIS Records. She will be joined by Kalevi Aho, Annu Salminen, orchestra and From a Notebook. Magnificat, for contralto and orchestra in the horn soloist on the disc, and John Storgårds who addition to his forthcoming No. 3. Larsson Gothe is compos- conducted the Lapland Chamber Orchestra. ing it for the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic and the Composer Weekend Aho has received five new concerto commis- Festival in Stockholm devoted to his music in April 2016. Over the last few sions: a double concerto for harp and Cor years Mats Larsson Gothe has come to be one of Sweden´s most acclaimed Anglais and concertos for soprano composers, not least through his successes with the operas Poet and Prophet- saxophone, tenor saxophone, ess and the prizewinning Blanche and Marie at Norrlandsoperan, and this accordion and timpani. summer the opera about Jussi Björling, Silverfågeln (The Silver Bird) at tudio Pellava Vattnäs Konsertlada. In addition to operas, Mats Larsson Gothe has writ- S ten a large amount of orchestral works, solo concertos and chamber music. Annu Salminen

Kortekangas at Organo novo Photo: Jussi Mura/ Olli Kortekangas concert is one of the items on the programme for the 2015 Organo novo organ festival in Helsinki. This will be given by Petri Komulainen (French horn), Markus Kuikka (viol) and Jan Lehtola (organ) at Olaus Petrus Church on November 15. One of the six works will be a premiere for horn and organ. The Finnish Broadcasting Company (Yle) will be recording the concert. ic d th norHIGHLIGHTS 3/2015 Tormis celebrates his 85 birthday NEWSLETTER FROM GEHRMANS MUSIKFÖRLAG & FENNICA GEHRMAN Estonia’s choral shaman and Grand Old Man Veljo Tormis Sound samples , video clips is 85 this year and his birthday is being celebrated with and other material are available at many concerts and events both in Estonia and elsewhere in the world. In August there was a Tormis concert in each of www.gehrmans.se/highlights the Estonian counties, given by the Estonian Philharmonic www.fennicagehrman.fi/highlights Chamber Choir, RAM and the Collegium Musicale.

Cover photo: Tobias Broström (Nicklas Raab) angovits L Tormis is one of the best-known Estonian composers, Matthew Whittall (Saara Vuorjoki/Music Finland) with over a hundred works to his name. He has created Editors: Henna Salmela and Kristina Fryklöf ees, Peter

Translations: Susan Sinisalo and Robert Carroll m new choral music in the spirit of the old regilaul rounde- Design: Göran Lind lays and the Finno-Ugric heritage and says: “I don’t use ix/Posti ISSN 2000-2742 (Print), ISSN 2000-2750 (Online) p folk melody – folk melody uses me.” He has also composed can Printed in Sweden by TMG Sthlm, Bromma 2015 S orchestral music. Photo:

H ighlights 3 / 2 0 1 5 Staern and Haglund profiled in 2016 P r emie r es Benjamin Staern will be com- Autumn 2015 poser in focus at the Båstad TOBIAS BROSTRÖM Chamber Music Festival in Sputnik for trumpet and orchestra late June next year. The pro- ROLF MARTINSSON gramme will feature among Into Eternity for soprano and orchestra Malmö SO/Marc Soustrot, sol. Håkan Hardenberger, others a new piece for piano trumpet, Lisa Larsson, soprano • 28.8. Malmö, Sweden and electronics for David Huang as well as a new work for KALEVI AHO, Symphony No. 16 Finnish RSO/Hannu Lintu, sol. Virpi Räisänen, guitar, small ensemble and elec- mezzo-soprano • 2.9. Helsinki, Finland tronics for Jakob Kellerman. Concerto for Soprano Saxophone In the first week of July a num- and Chamber Orchestra aglund Lapland ChO/John Storgårds, sol. Anders Paulsson ber of Tommie Haglund’s H 11.11. Rovaniemi, Finland erg fb ö

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will be the composer profile m Stjärnmusik I (Star Music I) lisa da E at the Lyckå Chamber Music A Margareta Bengtson, soprano, Bengt Forsberg, piano 5.9. Stockholm, Sweden hoto: Photo: p Festival in Karlskrona. Benjamin Staern Tommie Haglund MIKKO HEINIÖ Ilta (Evening), 11 dance songs for choir, clarinet and cello Eri Dance Theatre, Key Ensemble/Teemu Honkanen 10.9. Turku, Finland Rosenberg’s Revelation April Evenings for Black Twins Sonata for two pianos of St. John in German Pasi Helin, Tuukka Vähätalo Hilding Rosenberg´s magnificent Symphony No. 4 1.11. Turku, Finland (Pianoaura Festival) – The Revelation of St. John will be performed for the KAI NIEMINEN first time in German on 18 November in Kassel. A Omaggio a Bruno Munari Marta Dolzadelli, guitar seminal work in Swedish 20th century music, it was 18.9. Milan, Italy (VI Festival Corde d’autunno) composed in 1940 to texts from the Bible and by PAAVO HEININEN, Symphony No. 6 Hjalmar Gullberg, and can be seen as a fiery protest Helsinki PO/John Storgårds • 8.10. Helsinki, Finland against war and violence. The German translation was HANNU POHJANNORO done by Nelly Sachs. Patrick Ringborg will conduct kuin kaiverrettu maailman merkki – Seven songs to texts by Jyrki Pellinen, for baritone, bass Staatsorchester Kassel, Helene Stureborg´s Chamber clarinet, cello and piano Choir, Staatstheater Kassel´s Opera Choir and bari- maailma on kartta for soprano and string quartet oki j Tuuli Lindeberg, soprano, Petri Antikainen, uor tone soloist Karl-Magnus Fredriksson. bass-baritone, Tampere Raw • 15.10. Helsinki, Finland aara V

S LOTTA WENNÄKOSKI, Verdigris Scottish ChO/Tuomas Hannikainen • 28.10. St Andrews, UK Photo: Sandström’s Halleluja MATTHEW WHITTALL, The Return of Light Puumala opera Editor’s Choice in Vienna and Seoul Helsinki Chamber Choir, Tapiola Sinfonietta/ 22 November will see the premiere of Sven-David Nils Schweckendiek • 30.10. Espoo, Finland The recent recording of Veli-Matti Puumala’s Sandström´s Halleluja for mixed choir and chamber opera Anna Liisa is one of the Editor’s ALBERT SCHNELZER orchestra, composed on commission from Soli Deo Magical Allusions for oboe and orchestra Choices in the September issue of Gramophone Malmö SO/Marc Soustrot, sol. Cristina Monticoli magazine. “Superbly performed performance of Gloria Musikverein in Vienna. The Korean conductor 7.11. Malmö, Sweden Yunsung Chang will lead the Joyful Mission Choir But Your Angel’s on Holiday Finnish composer Veli-Matti Puumala’s power- – Clarinet Concerto ful opera,” writes Gramophone and continues: and Vienna Volksoper Orchestra in the work, which Norrköping SO/Anna-Maria Helsing, sol. Staffan Mårtensson “Anna Liisa is something special and deserves is scheduled to be performed again in Seoul this De- 12.11. Norrköping, Sweden wide circulation outside its native land.” cember by the Seoul Motet Choir and the Prime Phil- AGNETA SKÖLD, Requiem harmonic Orchestra. Västerås Cathedral Motet Choir/Johan Hammarström 8.11. Västerås, Sweden JONAS VALFRIDSSON, Bikernieke Forest Sinfonietta Riga/Normunds Sne • 14.11. Riga, Latvia OLLI KORTEKANGAS New Requiem by Agneta Sköld New work for horn and organ Petri Komulainen, horn, Jan Lehtola, organ “I wanted to give a reflection of my idea of life after death”, says Agneta 15.11. Helsinki, Finland Sköld concerning her newly written Requiem for mixed choir, soprano solo DANIEL BÖRTZ, I mörkret av röster (In the and organ, scheduled to be premiered on 8 November in Västerås. The Darkness of Voices) for choir and tubular bells reflection is bright, full of confidence and love, inspired by earlier Requiem Eric Ericson Chamber Choir/Fredrik Malmberg composers such as Brahms and Fauré. The tone language is classical and 18.11. Stockholm, Sweden harmonious, the seven movements are full of variety but highly unified. SVEN-DAVID SANDSTRÖM After leaving her post as organist in Västerås Cathedral, Sköld has now Halleluja for mixed choir and orchestra Joyful Mission Choir, Vienna Volksoper Orchestra/ been able to devote more time to composing. She has over the years re- Yunsung Chang • 22.11. Vienna, Austria ceived a number of distinctions, including Choir Leader of the Year, the MARIE SAMUELSSON Norrby Medal and H M King´s Medal for her achievements as choral con- Ett nytt barn av oändlighet ductor, church musician and composer. (A New Child of Eternity) for clarinet and orchestra Malmö SO/Marc Soustrot, sol. Johnny Teyssier 28.11. Malmö, Sweden

H ighlights 3 / 2 0 1 5 Seven questions for Tobias Broström Tobias Broström is currently in the limelight with his Theatron, The return of joy a double concerto for two percussionists and orchestra, which was premiered by the duo Malleus Incus and Dresdner Philharmonie in May. This autumn will see another three performances in Umeå, Gävle and Helsingborg.

2 Another important collaborator for you is comes increasingly closer to the beginning of the Håkan Hardenberger, who during the last few Pastoral Symphony. years has performed your trumpet concerto 5 Your very first String Quartet was pre- Lucernaris together with the BBC Philharmonic miered in 2014 by the New York –based quartet in Manchester, Komische Oper Orchester in Brooklyn Rider. Berlin, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and Yes, it was the result of a commission from the others. What do you think is the secret behind concert producer Musik i Syd. The guys in Brook- the success of this concerto? lyn Rider were fantastic musicians. This is really I believe and hope that all the exertion and an ensemble that depicts our time in a substantial time I have put into the work can actually be one way. Something, incidentally, that I myself certain- reason. Also, perhaps the live electronics and the ly try to do in my music. We are working on getting stage lighting (which is also indicated in the score) the quartet recorded early next year. make the work stand out a bit among the other- 6 You have had the privilege of being composer- b aa

R wise somewhat rigid concerto forms prevalent at in-residence with the Gävle Symphony Orches- orchestral institutions the world over. tra, as well as with the Västerås Sinfonietta icklas N 3 You have composed an “encore piece” for and the Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra, and

Photo: trumpet and orchestra expressly for Håkan. It during the last few years two portrait CDs have was premiered during the inauguration of the been issued with your orchestral music. What 1 You started out as a percussionist yourself. new concert hall Malmö Live in August. Can you has it meant to you? What’s it like to write a concerto for your own tell us something about the piece? This has of course meant a great deal, especially instrumental group and can you give a brief Besides having worked with and written a great in the case of the Gävle residency: right after I had description of the work? deal for Håkan, he is also a very good friend. He finished my musical education I had 3-4 years of Well, it has been a while since I wrote my last asked me to write a short little piece with a lot of collaboration with an orchestra that gave me its percussion concerto, but I still have the know- energy for the opening concert, and it came to be full support in what I did. I am incredibly thank- how, and that makes it easier for the soloists, they called Sputnik (Russian for ”travel companion” or ful for getting that opportunity. These years laid won´t have to bend over backwards. I like to en- “partner”)! In addition, I liked the image and the the foundation for what I have accomplished to- gage in dialogue with the musicians I work with, musical ideas I got from the first Sputnik satellite day. When it comes to recordings of my music, it and in the case of Theatron , Patrick Raab, speeding along in its orbit around the earth before is my goal to get all my orchestral works issued on Johan Bridger and I had an exchange of ideas that it re-enters the atmosphere and burns up. CD. We are already working on the next record, resulted in a number of improvements and simpli- 4 Last year saw the premiere of On Urban which will include Theatron among other works, fications in the parts. Ground , a companion piece to Beethoven´s but it involves more than one orchestra, so we´ll Theatron (= watching place/auditorium in Pastoral Symphony. You wrote the piece on com- see when it will come out. ancient Greece) is a freestanding follow-up to mission from NorrlandsOperan. How did you 7 What do you have under way going forward, my first percussion concerto Arena, and the title go about this task? and do you have any dream projects? alludes to the fact that people often experience my As a matter of fact, it was not exactly an easy Just now I am working on another piece for the music as narrative. In Theatron the focus is on the project. I knew that I wanted to keep quite close Malmö Symphony Orchestra, for solo flute, writ- marimba and the vibraphone. The centre of grav- to the Beethoven symphony, so I started to anal- ten for the orchestra’s solo flutist Malin Nordlöf. ity lies in the slow, hymn-like middle movement, yse and dismantle material, motifs and textures. For some time I have also wanted to compose more which emphasises the lyrical timbres and opens At the same time it was vital for me to keep a dis- chamber works, and in the near future there will with the soloists playing in the low, mellow reg- tance to the symphony and not to experiment with be a piece for the Copenhagen Opera´s chamber isters of the marimba. Both soloists work with Beethoven´s own material. The “Storm” movement music series, for the Chinese percussion soloist Li dynamic and timbral exactitude, with mallets of (No. IV, Storm and Tempest) was my point Biao and his ensemble. A choral work with French varying hardness to really get all the nuances out of departure. Here Beethoven goes from storm horn and harp is also in the pipeline, but my real of the music. In the last movement, which opens to calm pastoral settings and my way is similar dream project would be an opera. A full-scale op- with an improvisatory call-and-response section, to his. The piece is intended to be played before era with everything that it involves! the tempo escalates and the intensity gradually Beethoven’s symphony (preferably attacca) and increases all the way to the very end. starts out with an urban atmosphere, but later K r istina F r y klö f

H ighlights 3 / 2 0 1 5 The return of joy Anyone listening to the music of Matthew Whittall may sense his love of nature, Zen Buddhism and minimalism. He wants his music to make space for the listener and pure, authentic feelings. oki/Music Finland j uor aara V S Photo:

When Canadian-born Matthew Whittall (b. 1975), catalogue reflecting the variety of his sources of in- pop-influenced, piece, to show that this is also now resident in Finland, was seeking to establish spiration. It is also a declaration of love to art rock. allowed – not everything needs to be serious and his own identity as a composer, he found himself “I like the heroic joy that classical music has re- difficult.” unable to get to grips with the traditional parame- nounced. I wanted it back – that feeling of pure joy. ters – counterpoint and harmony – that still domi- There was nothing ironic about that!” Nordic landscape inspires nate music. These processes did not work for him, Minimalism is something close to Whittall’s Matthew Whittall is not part of the Finnish con- and nor did the saturated, dense element of mod- heart, because here the border between pop and temporary musical mainstream, and this has been ernism. Instead, he wanted to create space for just classical is almost non-existent. The endless pulses noted. This summer the Korsholm Music Festival passively being. His interest in choral music and of minimalism, and its lack of inhibition are full invited him to be its composer in residence. As the the slow-flowing surfaces of Renaissance music of rugged beauty. And it is precisely the expression subject of Devil’s Gate for oboe, bassoon and piano made him aware that his music had to do with of this sparse, pure beauty that lies at the heart of he took the scenery in Lapland so dear to him. time. The slow use of time unleashed his musical Whittall’s work. “The combination of instruments is so joyful fantasy: his works entered a musical time that is and bubbly that I wanted to tell about something not goal-oriented but that constitutes a cathedral- lovely, so I chose my hike to the Devil’s Gate gorge. like space in which the pillars soar to infinity. The music describes the simple pleasure of hik- Running parallel to his concept of time are his ing and the structures trace the topography of the love of stark scenery and his fascination with Zen landscape.” Buddhism. He does not, however, think about these His newest piece The Return of Light, to be pre- things as his style; rather, they are a compositional miered at the end of October, was likewise inspired philosophy incorporating silence, stasis, sounding by the Nordic landscape. In this work commis- things out and relegating the self to the background. sioned for an anniversary concert by the Helsinki “Being in the here and now is what matters to Chamber Choir the voices merge with the sounds me, not musically striving towards a goal by means of the Tapiola Sinfonietta as a single wordless of abstract processes. Music does not necessarily “I believe that true happiness can only exist instrument. According to Whittall, it is possibly need to add up to something in order to be mean- in art. I want to create such moments with my his most programmatic work, sparked off by an ac- ingful,” he says. music.” count by Arctic explorer Julius von Payer of the This is also what The Architecture of Happi- first time he saw the sun rise after the long winter Stylistic diversity ness, premiered by the Finnish Radio Symphony darkness. He wanted to capture the chink in the The music of Matthew Whittall breathes in time Orchestra at the opening concert of its autumn darkness, the first streak of light and its disappear- to this philosophy, but his works all have a strong, 2014 season, was all about. It was an ode to the ance in real time, using noise and timbre as his unique identity, their sources of inspiration ranging Helsinki Music Centre and to the joy the Centre tools. A return to joy again – a Whittall joy that is from Japanese art and Monet’s impressionism to has brought to music in Finland. sacred, silent and pure. Mahler, minimalism and progressive rock. Leaves “I wanted to get away from nature motifs and of Grass (2005–2009), a collection of preludes to create some “indoor” music that would con- Au li S ä r ki ö based on poems by Walt Whitman and composed nect with the built environment. At the same for pianist Risto-Matti Marin, is a sort of style time I wanted to compose a big, bright and

H ighlights 3 / 2 0 1 5 r E P E r to i r e tips R EVIEWS

Whittall premiere The piece alternates between rhythmically crafty and Lars Karlsson melodically deliciously contrived passages, between Med havet (By the Sea) (1976, Swe) Dur: 12’ action and dreamier states, and now and then pres- Song cycles The sea is strongly present in these four songs ents a quality extremely rare in Whittall’s aesthetic: for baritone or mezzo-soprano to texts by Karl- humour... A valuable addition to both the Finnish Erik Bergman, a writer and fisherman from the island province and the international chamber repertoire. of Åland. An early work by Karlsson, it is a musical cycle in which Hufvudstadsbladet 4.8. Kalevi Aho natural phenomena act as symbols of the human lifecycle. Matthew Whittall: Devil’s Gate *Kiinalaisia lauluja (Chinese Songs) World premiere: Risto-Matti Marin, piano, Christian Wetzel, oboe, (1997, Fin) Dur: 20’ Olli Kortekangas Etienne Boudreault, bassoon, 3.8. 2015 Vaasa, Finland (Korsholm These Aho’s songs for soprano and piano Syvä ilo (Profound Joy) (1996, Fin) Dur: 12’ Music Festival) have both sensitivity and passion and they follow closely the This song cycle pays respect to the Lied tra- delicate moods of the Chinese love poems. The initial radiance dition and is admirable proof of the great dims as the work proceeds, before returning and ending in the flashes of insight that may ensue from the seamless encounter Nature-scented mystique last, sixth song in a mood of heavenly bliss. of word and sound. The four songs are settings of words by Aaro A scintillating encounter in this repertoire where a Hellaakoski, Lassi Nummi and Kai Nieminen. Available in ver- painful yearning is often mixed with a nature-scented Anders Annerholm sions for high, medium and low voice. mystique. As in Stenhammar´s luminous setting of Stjärnmusik I (Star Music I) Erik Axel Karlfeldt´s erotically charged “Nattyxne” (2015, Swe) Dur: 11’ Jyrki Linjama (Butterfly Orchid), where “passion´s stroke of the bow Three songs on poems by Nelly Sachs about Das fliessende Licht der Gottheit rises on bat´s wings up to the orb of the moon”. how to live on after experiencing the acts of cruelty of the (2012, Ger) Dur: 15’ Dagens Nyheter 26.8. Holocaust. Composed with the classical Lied in mind, but with a A song cycle based on texts by Mechthild von Alfvén, Sibelius, Stenhammar: Nordic Songs tonal language and expression of the 21st century, the music is Magdeburg, a female mystic and a Beguine whose poems connect CD: Camilla Tilling, soprano, Paul Rivnius, piano characterised by a kind of expressive minimalism. The timbres with the tradition of The Song of Songs. The music continues the (BIS CD 2154/I skogen: Nordic Songs) and the phrasing of the words are central at the same time that thematic line of Linjama’s acclaimed church opera Die Geburt des the piano and the voice parts play equally important roles. Täufers and is a homage to genuine Christian mysticism. For mezzo- soprano and piano or mezzo-soprano, viola and harpsichord. Daniel Börtz Klangernas sånger (Songs of Kai Nieminen Sonorities) (1999, Swe) Dur: 25’ Landscapes (1997, Eng) Dur: 10’ Seven settings for baritone or mezzo-soprano Peace and tranquillity dominate the mood and piano of poems from Göran Sonnevi’s Book of Sonorities, of these Landscapes for voice (any register) which form a unity stylistically as well as motivically. It centres and piano. The piano part uses the pedal to create transparent,

cluster-like harmonies. The Locrian mode and the enigmatic hadi Boustani on the feeling of the loss of a near relation. Here there are sharp G contrasts, violent tremolos and painful, expressive climaxes. A texts by Emily Dickinson give this popular work a delicate, wealth of sonorous variation, that ends in a bright sphere. dream-like atmosphere. Photo: Kalevi Aho’s 16th symphony Albert Schnelzer Requiem (2004, Swe) Dur: 13’ A descendant of the classical tradition in the clarity of Vier Lieder (1993, Ger) Dur: 12’ Edith Södergran’s poem Smärtan (The Pain) its form… The huge, orientally-tuned battery of percus- “What is more beautiful than a lullaby? And is the connecting link in Schnelzer’s gripping sions gives the music colourful fantasy and rhythmic what lullaby is more beautiful than Goethe’s Requiem for soprano and piano. The poem has been divided impulses… Aho charges the waves of the third move- Wanderers Nachtlied?” With these thoughts in mind Eliasson into three songs, which are characterised by dark timbres and ment with his most heated and gloomiest feelings, to set this and another three poems by Goethe for mezzo-soprano sorrow. The other two poems, Love and The Rose, are contrast- which the mysteriously glittering and glimmering, airy and piano, on commission for the Grieg jubilee in 1993. The ing bright middle movements, where the lyrical and beautiful fourth movement brings a welcome change. songs are airy and transparent, rooted in the classical-romantic hold sway. Composed in memory of Fadime Sahindal who was Helsingin Sanomat 4.9. Lied tradition, and integrated into Eliasson’s own sound world. the victim of an honor-related killing. Aho’s ability to create a strongly atmospheric, ever shift- Kimmo Hakola ing soundscape here celebrates a veritable triumph. Benjamin Staern Hufvudstadsbladet 4.9. *Kivi-laulut (Seven Songs to Texts by * Tranströmer Songs (2009, Swe) Dur: 12’ Aleksis Kivi) (2007, Fin) Dur: 27’ Kalevi Aho: Symphony No. 16 for mezzo-soprano, Four settings of poems from Tomas Tran­ percussion and string orchestra Best-loved poems by Kivi showcased in strömer’s The Sorrow Gondola, in which World premiere: Finnish RSO/Hannu Lintu, sol. Virpi Räisänen, Hakola’s magical musical vitrine. Catchy melodies, mournful Staern brings out both the lyrical and the dramatic moods 2.9.2015 Helsinki, Finland yearning, impressionistic mood paintings and humorous defiance. of the texts, and clearly has a story to tell. The work presents According to the critics, “the work is as warm, moist and traditional exciting contrasts with a modernistic tone language, a distinctly as rye bread straight from the oven”. For baritone and piano. melodious alto voice part and intricate passages in the piano. Marvelous Theremin Concerto The music of Finnish composer Kalevi Aho is deserv- Mikko Heiniö Johan Ullén edly becoming more popular…The big news is the *Syyskesän laulu (Late Summer *Lady Macbeth (2009, Eng) Dur: 10’ theremin concerto. It’s a marvelous work…the only Song) (2008, Fin) Dur: 17’ Three monologues, for mezzo-soprano and thing holding it back from general popularity is the This cycle is a collection of beautiful, lithely piano, about malice and power with texts shortage of thereminists. The Concerto for horn sensual settings of delicate texts by Lassi Nummi. The seven taken from Shakespeare´s Macbeth (act I, scene V). The three & chamber orchestra is scarcely less original and songs hang together like strokes from a paintbrush to form songs (I. They met me II. Glamis thou art III. The raven him- likewise features expert orchestral writing. an impressive, dramatic arch. Composed originally for bass self), form a dramatic arch in which both the expressive vocal www.allmusic.com 2015 but later transposed for baritone; also available for mezzo- part and the piano well depict the inner tensions of the text. Kalevi Aho: Eight Seasons (Concerto for Theremin soprano. and Chamber Orchestra), Concerto for Horn and Chamber Orchestra *available also as an orchestral/ensemble version CD: Lapland ChO/John Storgårds, sol. Carolina Eyck, theremin, Annu Salminen, horn (BIS CD 2036)

H ighlights 3 / 2 0 1 5 Vibrant and colourful Tonal and accessible this vibrant, colourful piece lasting around sixteen minutes was notable for the contrast between light percussive effects, especially celeste and piano, over eerie strings and the weighty, highly percussive climaxes… Seen and Heard International 18.5. Albert Schnelzer: Tales from Suburbia German premiere: Swedish Radio SO/Daniel Harding, 15.5.2015 Dresden, Germany b aa R

Powerful Puumala opera icklas N Puumala is fairly unfamiliar name to the pages of

Gramophone at least – but perhaps that will change Photo: following this superbly performed performance of

u Engaging Theatron j his powerful opera…A 12-tone work with extensive Making a real impact ‘Theatron’ engages from the and formally adventurous ensemble-writing, it has ytöhar

K first note to the last… it contains authentic and testing contributions from both chorus and orches- substantial musical content together with serious tra, as well as a large solo part especially conceived sonic investigation…I was especially impressed with for a non-classically trained folk singer…Anna Liisa

Photo: Maarit the stormy quality of the concerto’s writing that is something special and deserves wide circulation recurrently swells in considerable orchestral weight Major addition to flute repertoire outside its native land. before transforming into a dreamy, almost ethereal Finnish composer Lotta Wennäkoski has made a Gramophone September 2015 character. With technical brilliance and artistic flair major addition to the flute concerto repertoire with Even the quietest passages are teeming with energy. Patrick Raab and Johan Bridger, who together form Soie… Roughness and weight are less given The whole thing exudes a fantastic attention to the Malleus Incus percussion duo, communicated to being evoked by this instrument, but in Lin Gros detail… The tragic story of Puumala’s Anna Liisa is playing of such intensity it almost felt telepathic. (rough linen), Wennäkoski manages it, with flautist impressive in all its gloominess. Seen and Heard International 24.5. Kersten McCall pushing her instrument to the edge; Helsingin Sanomat 19.8. the title movement is a darkly atmospheric finale… Veli-Matti Puumala: Anna Liisa, opera in three acts Tobias Broström: Theatron Dima Slobodeniouk and the Finnish RSO are per- CD: Tapiola Sinfonietta, Helsinki Chamber Choir/Jan Söderblom, sol. World premiere: Dresdner Philharmonie/Michael Sanderling, sol. suasive advocates for a composer with ideas and a Helena Juntunen, Ville Rusanen, etc. Malleus Incus, 16.5.2015 Dresden, Germany distinctive way of voicing them. (Ondine ODE 1254-2D) The Guardian 11.6. The listener, but not the soloist, is almost left breath- less in the firework display of timbral effects… The concerto has a strong personality. The sound has air and wind, the music rustles and shines. Helsingin Sanomat 2.9. Lotta Wennäkoski: Soie for flute and orchestra, Hava, Amor Omnia Suite CD: Finnish RSO/Dima Slobodeniouk, sol. Kersten McCall, flute (Ondine ODE 1259-2) Helena Juntunen rdsäter and Ville Rusanen Gå Imposing orchestral sonorities in Anna Liisa iktor

It would not surprise me if “Into Eternity” soon figures Photo: V among those works of Swedish art music that attain lasting popularity. It has all the prerequisites: a tone Valfridsson’s exotic Temples language that is easily accessible, imposing orchestral of Kamakura sonorities and a lyrical touch of Nordic melancholy. … It is a delicate, shimmering palette of colours he paints Tobias Broström´s “Sputnik” is also a work with with his skilful orchestration. The orchestra´s interpreta- roots in jazz, although influenced more by Latin tion is distinct, committed and coherent… there is nice American music. It is well written, nicely orchestrated variation in the music and he utilises the dynamics of and on a high artistic level. the orchestra´s means of expression to good effect. Skånskan 29.8. Corren 24.5. ihavainen Rolf Martinsson: Into Eternity/Tobias Broström: Sputnik ero V The four movements featured exoticism and a film- World premiere: Malmö SO/Marc Soustrot, sol. Lisa Larsson soprano, music sound reminiscent of the samurai culture. The Håkan Hardenberger, trumpet, 28.8 2015 Malmö, Sweden Photo: T third movement´s fragile flutes breathed love and the fourth movement´s hurrying tempo called us to the hunt. Incessantly flowing symphony Norrköpings Tidningar 22.5. Jonas Valfridsson: Temples of Kamakura [Sakari Oramo] allows Eliasson’s 4th Symphony to flow World premiere: Norrköping SO/Michael Francis, incessantly and densely.…The Swedish composer swings 21.5. 2015 Norrköping, Sweden in wistful ‘Schönklang’ producing expressive tutti-energies… In this music, everything is related with each other, merging into one another, looking backwards, looking forward. Eliasson’s absorbing sound worlds Amazingly, in the middle section Eliasson’s symphony turns Eliasson’s last composition impresses the listener into a concerto for flugelhorn and orchestra. Raphael because of its denseness. In spite of the fact that Mentzen dominates the action with a perfectly polished, the three parts are interwoven in a very complex and endlessly flowing, plaintive tone. contrapuntal way there is never an impression of the Berliner Morgenpost 10.5. music merely being constructed. Its subtle play with alovega E

in colours leaves a lasting impression.

m Anders Eliasson: Symphony No. 4 a j Kronen Zeitung 11.6. German premiere: Deutsches Symphonie- Sakari Oramo Orchester Berlin/Sakari Oramo, Anders Eliasson: Ahnungen

Photo: Ben 8.5.2015 Berlin, Germany Austrian premiere: Trio Akademie St. Blasius, 9.6.2015 Innsbruck, Austria

H ighlights 3 / 2 0 1 5 new p u b li c ati o ns

ORCHESTRAL/ CHORAL STAGE WORKS CHRISTAN ENGQUIST AGNETA SKÖLD The Distant Star Requiem BERNHARD HENRIK CRUSELL for male choir TTBB. Text: Christian Engquist (Eng) for mixed choir, soprano solo and organ Concertino for Bassoon and GE 12609 Text in Latin Orchestra GE 12696 FG 55011-250-6 (score) ANDERS GÖRANSSON (ARR) Lo, How a Rose Upspringing/ God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen Det är en ros utsprungen ROLF MARTINSSON for mixed choir, tenor solo and piano for mixed choir SATB Text: Trad (Eng) Ich denke Dein… Text: Trad/Tekla Knös (Swe/Eng) GE 12542 for soprano and orchestra GE 12679 GE 12594 (score) PER GUNNAR PETERSSON Agnus Dei Jubilate Deo for descant choir SSAA Adagio celeste for mixed choir and organ Text in Latin for string orchestra Text in Latin GE 12714 FG 55011-251-3 GE 12724 (score and set of parts 33221) TORMOD TVETE VIK SIMON PHIPPS Mässa till ljus från mörker The Temptations / Yeoman’s Carol (Mass to Light from Darkness) Kiusaukset for mixed choir and organ or brass quintet for mixed choir and organ Allegorical ballet in one act Text: Trad (Swe/Eng). Arr: Henrik Torolphi or string ensemble Piano reduction GE 12728 (choral/organ) Texts from the Bible (Swe) (first publication) GE 12729 (score) GE 12770 (score) FG 55011-246-9 GE 12739 (brass parts) GE 12771 (choir/organ) GE 12791-95 (string parts) ALBERT SCHNELZER SVEN-DAVID SANDSTRÖM Tales from Suburbia Tystnar ofta nog vår sång GABRIEL WILCZKOWSKI for orchestra for mixed choir, congregational song Den stora gästen GE 12164 (score) and symphonic wind orchestra for male choir TTBB Texts from the Swedish Mission Covenant Text: Eva-Stina Byggmästar (Swe) Hymn Book (Swe) GE 12759 N06699 (score)

new c Ds CHAMBER VOCAL KALEVI AHO ANDERS ANNERHOLM Quintet for oboe, clarinet, Stjärnmusik 1 HUGO ALFVÉN bassoon, horn and piano (2013) Three Songs on Poems Skogen sover FG 55011-256-8 (score), 55011-257-5 (parts) by Nelly Sachs (Swe) JEAN SIBELIUS TOIVO KUULA for voice and piano Norden Sonatas for violin and piano GE 12811 The two Kuula violin sonatas in a WILHELM STENHAMMAR JEAN SIBELIUS I skogen, Vandraren, Nattyxne etc new collection. This is the first time the Sonata in F major, composed in Sex sånger / Six Songs Camilla Tilling, soprano, Paul Rivinius, piano Op. 88 BIS-SACD 2154 (”I skogen – Nordic Songs”) 1906 and subsequently lost, has ever been published. for voice and piano KARL-BIRGER BLOMDAHL FG 55011-248-3 Text: F. M. Franzén, Adagio from Vaknatten J. L. Runeberg (Swe) JYRKI LINJAMA Sibelius’s beloved flower songs ERIK FORDELL Sonata da Chiesa II in a beautiful collection. I folkton for organ 1. Blåsippan (The Anemone), Ostrobothnian ChO/Juha Kangas FG 55011-258-2 2. De bägge rosorna Alba ABCD 380 (“Silent Moods”) (The Two Roses), EINOJUHANI RAUTAVAARA 3. Vitsippan PEKKA KOSTIAINEN Aleksanteri Könni & The Devil Kiurun tie (The Wood Anemone), and The Drunkard 4. Sippan (The Primrose), Xara Choral Theatre/Christina Murray (Piru ja juomari) for piano CD 825105148026 (“Here on These Branches”) 5. Törnet (The Thorn), Two works inspired by polskas 6. Blommans öde in an old collection of folk tunes. LARS-ERIK LARSSON (The Flower’s Destiny) A sister work to the Fiddlers suite. FG 55001-247-6 Pastoral Suite FG 55009-943-2 Württembergische Philharmonie Reutlingen/Ola Rudner MATTHEW WHITTALL MARTIN WEGELIUS ANTES BM319288 Devil’s Gate Collected works for oboe, bassoon and piano for voice and piano / KAI NIEMINEN FG 55011-245-2 Kootut yksinlaulut Unen maasta FG 55011-260-5 Seitakuoro/Kadri Joamets Alba NCD 52 (”Kuvia pohjoisesta”) EINOJUHANI RAUTAVAARA Cantus arcticus for piano and tape Kyoko Fukushi Vivid Productions CD EGPF-008

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