WEDNESDAY SERIES 5 Erich Höbarth, Conductor & Violino Piccolo Soile Isokoski, Soprano Aapo Häkkinen, Organ George Frideric

1.11. WEDNESDAY SERIES 5 Helsinki Music Centre at 19.00

Erich Höbarth, conductor & violino piccolo Soile Isokoski, soprano Aapo Häkkinen, organ

George Frideric Handel: Concerto grosso, 12 min op. 3/5 in D minor I (Largo) II Allegro III Adagio IV Allegro ma non troppo – Allegro

George Frideric Handel: Concerto for Organ, 11 min Orchestra and Continuo No. 1 in G minor, Op. 4/1 1. Larghetto a staccato 2. Allegro 3. Adagio 4. Andante

George Frideric Handel: Concerto for Organ, 12 min Orchestra and Continuo in B flat major, Op. 4/6 1. Andante allegro 2. Larghetto 3. Allegro moderato

George Frideric Handel: Concerto grosso in C major, 17 min “Alexander’s Feast” I Allegro II Largo III Allegro IV Andante Non Presto

INTERVAL 20 min 1 Johann Sebastian Bach: Brandenburg Concerto 20 min No. 1 in F major 1. (No tempo marking) 2. Adagio 3. Allegro 4. Minuet – Trio 1 – Polacca – Trio 2

Johann Sebastian Bach: Cantata No. 82 BWV82, 24 min “Ich habe genug” 1. Ich habe genug (aria) 2. Ich habe genug (recitative) 3. Schlummert ein, ihr matten Augen (aria) 4. Mein Gott! wann kommt das schöne: Nun! (recitative) 5. Ich freue mich auf meinen Tod (aria)

Interval at about 20:10. The concert will end at about 21:30. Broadcast live on Yle Radio 1 and at yle.fi/areena. The first part of the concert will be shown on Yle Teema, “The FRSO at the Helsinki Music Centre” (RSO Musiikkitalossa) on 5.11. with a repeat on Yle TV 1 on 11.11, and the second part on Yle Teema on 12.11. with a repeat on Yle TV 1 on 18.11.

2 GEORGE FRIDERIC ment, in G major, is more colourful and ornamental, and the work ends on a HANDEL (1685–1759): more strongly marked note to the lilt CONCERTOS FROM of a minuet. ALEXANDER’S FEAST, The six opus 3 concerti grossi are a AND CONCERTO somewhat tricky category in Handel’s instrumental works. His popularity GROSSO OP. 3, NO. 5 as a vocal composer had generated a great demand for instrumental works Alexander’s Feast is unusual as a canta- as well, and this sometimes resulted ta in that it has three instrumental con- in such aberrations as his first collec- certos: one for harp in Part I, a concer- tion of concerti grossi (op. 3). The con- to grosso between Parts I & II, and an certos were published in 1734 by John organ concerto in Part II. Handel then Walsh, having collected and edited remodelled the harp concerto for organ earlier works by Handel, yet Handel, it and, together with the G minor con- seems, had nothing to do with the ed- certo from Alexander’s Feast, grouped iting. Concerto no. 5 in D minor is, how- it with four other organ concertos as ever, an exception, because although it opus 4. The collection was published by does consist of arrangements of earlier John Walsh in 1738. The other concer- pieces, the arrangements are thought tos in the set were likewise originally to have been made by Handel himself. composed for performance with other The concerto grosso in C from great vocal works by Handel. The lat- Alexander’s Feast is from neither of er opus 7 organ concertos originated in Handel’s collections of concerti grossi the same way. (op. 3 & 6) and was published as a sep- The single-manual English chamber arate work in 1740. The solo group con- organs at Handel’s disposal for their sists of two violins and a cello, and the part accounted for the intimate nature orchestra of strings, two oboes, a bas- of his organ concertos. Inserting a harp soon reinforcing the bass line, and con- concerto in the cantata was no random tinuo. The first, blustering movement move on Handel’s part, since it coin- is followed by a slow one in mournful, cides with the account of Timotheus pastoral mood, a lively third one rich in playing the lyre. The transcription for counterpoint, and a solemn, tripping fi- organ also seems logical in view of the nale. work’s associations with Saint Cecilia, the patron saint of musicians and spe- cifically the organ. The outer movements of the B flat organ concerto are light and sunny, the soulful middle one more profound. The slow movements are also the more serious ones in the G minor concerto. The second move-

3 JOHANN SEBASTIAN Nikolai. During his first years there, in particular, he was kept extremely busy BACH (1685–1750): and was on average producing one BRANDENBURG cantata a week in addition to all his CONCERTO NO. 1 IN F other compositions and commitments. MAJOR; CANTATA NO. Ich habe genug, is one of his best- known cantatas composed during this 82 “ICH HABE GENUG” frenzied period. He wrote it in February 1727 for the Feast of the Purification Johann Sebastian Bach spent the pe- of the Virgin Mary and originally scored riod 1717–1723 as Kapellmeister in it for bass, oboe, strings and continuo, Cöthen, where the court had been re- but later produced other versions, too. formed and there was no great need to The one for soprano has a flute instead compose for the church. He therefore of an oboe. focused on instrumental music. The Ich habe genug is a symmetrical work most renowned of his Cöthen composi- of three arias with two recitatives be- tions is the set of six concertos known tween them. The flute is much in evi- by the name of Brandenburg. dence in the outermost movements, in The concerto in F major is the only spirited dialogue with the soprano. The one of the set in four movements; the text, by an anonymous writer, calmly others have only three. The form is fur- prepares for and even longs for death. ther enriched by the composite na- The middle Schlummert ein, ihr matten ture of the last movement, which has Augen (Rest in sleep, you weary eyes) is a polonaise or ‘Polacca’ in addition to one of the Bach arias most often per- it minuet and trios. It is scored for a formed on its own. In the final aria, Ich large ensemble including two hunting freue mich auf meinen Tod (I rejoice in horns (corno di caccia), three oboes, a my death), death is at last approaching bassoon, a violino piccolo that is small- and the transition to the other world is er and here tuned a minor third higher a cause for rejoicing. than a normal violin, plus strings and continuo. The hunting horns enter the Programme notes translated scene in the first movement already (abridged) by Susan Sinisalo and give the work an “open-air” feel. They then fall silent in the slow second movement, to make room for a dis- ERICH HÖBARTH creet dialogue between the violino piccolo and the oboe. The final movement The name of Austrian violinist and again has a polonaise. conductor Erich Höbarth is associat- When Bach began working in Leipzig ed with many celebrated Viennese or- in 1727, he found himself responsible chestras and ensembles. He studied at for directing the music in the city’s two the Vienna Conservatory, the Vienna main churches, the Thomas and the University of Music and Performing

4 Arts and the Mozarteum in Salzburg. A singer with an extensive concert He played second violin in the leg- repertoire, Soile Isokoski has given nu- endary Végh Quartet 1978–1989 and merous Lied recitals the world over. has led the Mosaiques Quartet since With pianist Marita Viitasalo she has 1987. He has been leader of the Vienna recorded works by many Finnish and Symphony Orchestra, the Vienna Nordic composers, and by Schubert, String Sextet, Nikolaus Harnoncourt’s Schumann and Richard Strauss. Her Concentus Musicus Wien and András discs have won many awards and dis- Schiff’s Capella Andrea Barca, and was tinctions, such as a Gramophone Artistic Director of the Swiss Camerata Editor’s Choice, MIDEM Classical and Bern 2001–2009. BBC Music Magazine Record of the Höbarth has released many Year. award-winning discs, among them a CD Soile Isokoski was awarded the pres- of Haydn with the Mosaiques Quartet tigious Finlandia Medal for her merits that won a Gramophone Award. He as an artist and her services to Finnish has been Professor of the violin at the music in 2002, Finland’s State Prize for Leipzig Conservatory since 2013. Music in 2005, the honorary title of Kammersängerin of the City of Vienna in 2008, and an honorary doctorate SOILE ISOKOSKI from the Helsinki University Faculty of Theology in 2011. Finland’s Soile Isokoski is one of the world’s most celebrated sopranos. In the course of her impressive career she AAPO HÄKKINEN has collaborated with many top orchestras and won widespread popularity on Aapo Häkkinen began his musical both opera and concert stage. education as a chorister at Helsinki Graduating from the Sibelius Cathedral. He took up the harpsichord Academy in 1984, Soile Isokoski gave at the age of thirteen, studying this with her debut concert two years later and Elina Mustonen and the organ with Olli went on to reap success in such compe- Porthan at the Sibelius Academy. From titions as the Lappeenranta in Finland 1995 to 1998 he studied with Bob van and the BBC Singer of the World. She Asperen at the Amsterdam Sweelinck made her Finnish National Opera de- Conservatory and from 1996 to 2000 but as Mimi in La bohème and has with Pierre Hantaï in Paris, and was since appeared to great acclaim at, fortunate to enjoy the guidance of the among others, the Vienna, Hamburg, celebrated Dutch harpsichordist and Berlin and Bavarian State Operas, La organist Gustav Leonhardt. Scala, the Bastille, Covent Garden and After completing his studies, the New York Metropolitan. She is also Häkkinen won prizes in many compe- a regular guest at many international titions – the Norddeutscher Rundfunk music festivals. special prize for his interpretations of

5 Italian music in 1997 and second prize Hannu Lintu. His predecessors as Chief at the Bruges International Harpsichord Conductor were Toivo Haapanen, Nils- Competition in 1998. Eric Fougstedt, Paavo Berglund, Okko His guest appearances have taken Kamu, Leif Segerstam, Jukka-Pekka Aapo Häkkinen all over the world, from Saraste and Sakari Oramo. the Berlin Konzerthaus and the Suntory The FRSO celebrates its 90th anni- Hall in Tokyo to the Hyogo Performing versary in the 2017/2018 season, for the Arts Center and the Dresden Music Radio Orchestra of ten players made Festival, the Utrecht Early Music its first appearance on September 1, Festival, the Bergen Festival and the 1927, at the Aleksanterinkatu 46 studio Lufthansa Festival in London. in Helsinki. It began giving public con- Also a keen chamber musician, Aapo certs a few years later and grew to sym- Häkkinen has worked with numerous phony orchestra strength in the 1960s, orchestras in his native Finland, with during Paavo Berglund’s term as Chief the Musica Aeterna chamber choir, Conductor. the Novosibirsk Philharmonic Chamber In addition to the great Classical- Orchestra, the Tallinn Baroque Romantic masterpieces, the latest con- Orchestra and many others. temporary music is a major item in the Aapo Häkkinen also teaches at the repertoire of the FRSO, which each Sibelius Academy and holds master- year premieres a number of Yle com- classes. He is Artistic Director of the missions. Another of the orchestra’s Helsinki Baroque Orchestra and the tasks is to record all Finnish orchestral early music series at the Helsinki Music music for the Yle archive. During the Centre. He has a radio programme of 2017/2018 season, the FRSO will pre- his own covering aspects of early music miere six Finnish works commissioned and in addition to the organ and harp- by Yle. The programme will also include sichord plays the clavichord and forte- concert performances of three operas, piano. the FRSO’s first festival of its own and major 20th-century violin concertos. The FRSO has recorded works by Mahler, Ligeti, Sibelius, Hakola, THE FINNISH Lindberg, Saariaho, Sallinen, Kaipainen, RADIO SYMPHONY Kokkonen and others, and the debut ORCHESTRA disc of the opera Aslak Hetta by Armas Launis. Its discs have reaped some pres- tigious distinctions, such as the BBC The Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra Music Magazine Award, the Académie (FRSO) is the orchestra of the Finnish Charles Cros Award and a MIDEM Broadcasting Company (Yle). Its mis- Classical Award. Its disc of Sibelius’s sion is to produce and promote Lemminkäinen and Pohjola’s Daughter Finnish musical culture and its Chief was Gramophone magazine’s Critic’s Conductor as of autumn 2013 has been Choice in December 2015 and brought

6 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).