Focus on Mikko Heiniö &FredrikFocus Högberg onMikko NEWSLETTER FROM GEHRMANS FROM MUSIKFÖRLAG GEHRMAN &FENNICA NEWSLETTER

NORDICHIGHLIGHTS Olli Kortekangas’ My Brother’s Keeper –opera premiere 1/2018 NEWS

Anniversary work For the jubilee Ann-Sofi Söderqvist has been commissioned to compose a companion piece to one of the most beloved works in Swedish , Lars-Erik Larsson´s Pastoral Suite. The work will be premiered at Musikaliska in Stockholm on 11 November by O/Modernt Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Hugo Ticciati.

During the jubilee year 2018 Gehrmans Gehrmans 125th anniversary will be proud ambassadors for Coral Guardians , a project that combines This year will mark Gehrmans Musikför- science and music events, in order to in- lag’s 125th anniversary. We are celebrating crease the awareness of the world´s coral with a number of exciting projects and reefs and what needs to be done to secure activities, supported by Inge and Einar their survival for coming generations. Rosenberg´s Foundation for Swedish Gehrmans will promote this vital topic in Music, which has been Gehrmans’ majority connection with various activities. owner since 1950. Among other

PHOTO: PELLE PIANO PELLE PHOTO: things, you will be given the opportunity An homage to Swedish Follow the project on www.facebook.com/ to try out choral music swedishchoralmusic! our VR glasses Gehrmans Musikförlag, in collaboration with The choral works will also be presented live where you can ex- the Mikaeli Chamber and its conduc- by the Mikaeli Chamber Choir at an anniver- perience what it is like to tor Anders Eby, will pay homage to Swedish sary concert on 13 October at the Swedish dive amidst the colourful coral reefs, to choral music in the project #svenskkörmusik/ Museum of Performing Arts in Stockholm. the tones of Anders Paulsson´s (one of #swedishchoralmusic. We are producing twelve the founders of Coral Guardians) Coral short films portraying choral works from the Symphony. For more information see period 1893-2018, one work from every www.coralguardians.org. decade. It is not necessarily a question of the best-known composers or works, but pieces that we think of as gems that deserve to be discovered by many more people. We release one film at a time, on the last Sunday of every month, in social media under the hashtags #svenskkörmusik and #swedishchoralmusic. The project has its own Facebook page where

we hope that everyone who loves Swedish music VETTERGRENJANNA PHOTO: will join in, integrate and make comments. Anders Eby

NORDIC World Music Series available digitally HIGHLIGHTS 1/2018 NEWSLETTER FROM GEHRMANS MUSIKFÖRLAG & FENNICA GEHRMAN Herman Rechberger’s World Music Sound samples , video clips Series is now available as digital and other material are available at publications for Apple and Android devices. The series is made up of www.gehrmans.se/highlights four books, each covering a certain www.fennicagehrman.fi/highlights geographical area. The volumes are Cover photos: Olli Kortekangas: Veljeni vartija/ Balkania, Scales and Modes around My Brother’s Keeper (Petri Nuutinen), Mikko Heiniö the World, Rhythm in African Music (Jussi Vierimaa), Fredrik Högberg (Fredrik Högberg) (with sound samples) and Rhythm Editors: Henna Salmela and Kristina Fryklöf in Arabian Music. These volumes are Translations: Susan Sinisalo and Robert Carroll indispensable compendia for anyone Design: Göran Lind interested in the theory and practice ISSN 2000-2742 (Print), ISSN 2000-2750 (Online)

of world music. KOLHO MATTI PHOTO: Printed in Sweden by TMG Sthlm, Bromma 2018

HIGHLIGHTS 1/2018 Mühlrad Lotta Wennäkoski news and Fröst in The Los Angeles PREMIERES collaboration Philharmonic­ has Spring 2018 Jacob Mühlrad has com­missioned a new written a short open- work from Lotta JACOB MÜHLRAD Wennäkoski. It will ing piece, Angelous No- Angelus Novus for chamber orchestra be conducted by the vus, to Martin Fröst´s St. Paul CO/Martin Fröst Orchestra’s Principal 9.3. Saint Paul, USA new concert project Guest Conductor Su- Kata for two celli and percussion Retrotopia. It was pre- WALLIN OHLSON ELISABETH PHOTO: sanna Mälkki at the Marie Macleod, Astrid Lindell, Mika Takehara miered on 9 March by the St. Paul Chamber Orches- Walt Disney Concert 16.4. Stockholm, Sweden tra in Minneapolis. There will subsequently be perfor- Hall on 13 November mances with the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra and 2018. The concert will FREDRIK HÖGBERG the Nordic Chamber Orchestra in April, and the Royal be unusual in that it Absent Illusions – A Hunt for the Eluded Muses Stockholm Philharmonic in May. Fröst will continue Düsseldorf SO/Alexandre Bloch, sol. Isabelle van Keulen,

will consist entirely of AJ SAVOLAINEN/TEOSTO PHOTO: the Retrotopia tour in the autumn. violin/viola world premieres of works by European composers. 16.3. Düsseldorf, Germany One of the compositions nominated this year for Baboon Concerto New CDs: Karlsson & Nieminen the annual Finnish Teosto Prize is Uniin asti (Until Gothenburg SO/Tung-Chieh Chuang, sol. Sebastian BIS has released a CD of music by Lars Karlsson. The the Dreams) by Wennäkoski, a work for male choir Stevensson, bassoon new disc by the Lapland Chamber Orchestra features and orchestra premiered by the Finnish RSO and the 9.5. Gothenburg, Sweden Seven Songs to Texts by Pär Lagerkvist and the Clari- Polytech Choir in December. The award winner will MARIE SAMUELSSON net Concerto . The soloists areGabriel Suovanen, be announced in April. In Horizons for piano trio baritone and Christoffer Sundqvist, clarinet. Trio Lindgård–Rodrick–Öquist Music for guitar by Kai Nieminen can be heard on Jubilate on European tour 18.3. Stockholm, Sweden (Svensk Musikvår Festival) the critically-acclaimed Pilfink Records releaseRites and The Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra and Shades . Works on this CD and on Nieminen’s ear- Sakari Oramo are bringing Benjamin Staern´s colour­ VELI-MATTI PUUMALA lier disc, Notturni, are available at Fennica Gehrman. ful concert opener Jubilate on tour to Spain and Italy Angular Objects in Liquid Time in May. After performances in Stockholm the piece for flute, clarinet, cello, harp, piano and electronics Defunensemble Focus on Esa Pietilä will be heard in Madrid, Alicante, Udine and Brescia. 12.4. , (Tampere Biennale) Prior to that, in April, there will be a German premiere Esa Pietilä has a concert of his works at the with the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra under the Music Centre on 26 October. There will be several pre- LARS KARLSSON baton of Stefan Solyom. mieres, among them Three Strides of Light for piano per- Jag vill gå mellan rågen for male choir Akademiska Sångföreningen/Kari Turunen formed by Risto-Matti 14.4. Helsinki, Finland Marin. The programme Järnefelt jubilee 2019 will also include a piece Next year will mark the 150th PAAVO KORPIJAAKKO for tenor saxophone and anniversary of the birth of Armas Neljä myyttistä eläintä/Four Mythic Animals string quartet, and cham- Järnefelt, a conductor and com- for accordion ber music for accordion, poser active in both Finland and 13.-15.4. Lapua, Finland (Minä soitan harmonikkaa tenor saxophone, percus- Sweden. His extensive output – accordion competition) sion and live electron- includes such evergreen favourites as his Berceuse MIKKO HEINIÖ ics. The performers will and and other orchestral works such as Prelude Symphony No. 3 (Sinfonia Concertante be the Kamus Quartet, Symphonic Fantasy, Suite for Small Orchestra, Suite in for Percussion and Orchestra) Veli Kujala and Janne E Flat Major and Korsholm. He also wrote solo songs, Turku PO/Anja Bihlmaier Tuomi, in addition to choral works and cantatas. The Järnefelt Society is 18.5. Turku, Finland Marin and Pietilä him- compiling a calendar of events in the jubilee year at

self. STENSTRÖM PATRIK PHOTO: www.armasjarnefelt.fi.

Awards and nominations The Finnish Broadcasting Company (Yle) The BIS disc including the Bassoon Concertos Rolf Martinsson has been awarded the royal chose Northlands , of music by Matthew by Kalevi Aho and Sebastian Fagerlund medal Litteris et artibus for his outstanding Whittall as its Record of the Year. Says Yle: has been nominated for this year’s BBC Music artistic achievements as a composer. The medal “Whittall composes music that is not afraid of Magazine Awards. The winning recordings will was presented to him by H. M. King Carl XVI beauty or emptiness. He gives the listener the be announced at a ceremony at London’s Kings Gustaf in a ceremony at the Royal Palace in right to savour the sound and enough time to Place on 5 April. Stockholm on 31 January. figure out the musical events” (See: Reviews). Samuelsson´s Air Drums in Leipzig Marie Samuelsson´s suggestive and spectacular Air Drum III was per- formed for the first time in Germany in January. MDR Sinfonieorchester played under the direction of Kristjan Järvi during the festival Nordic Pulse in Leipzig. Air Drum is an effective concert-opening piece with focus on the percussionists, who play on air drums/ventilation drums that by turns rumble and sing softly. Beautifully illuminated, they also provide a tasteful setting for the concert stage. MDR Sinfonieorchester & Kristjan Järvi PHOTO: KRISTINA FRYKLÖF KRISTINA PHOTO:

HIGHLIGHTS 1/2018 ERI Dance Theatre in the performance of Ilta (Evening) PHOTO: MATTI KIVEKÄS MATTI PHOTO: Creative balance between tradition and innovation PHOTO: RIITTA HEINIÖ RIITTA PHOTO: Heiniö is a keen marathon runner. in Mikko Heiniö’s music

THE MUSICAL UNIVERSE of Mikko Heiniö Sumptuous, colourful worlds of sound, swiftly-soaring melodies, vigorously-beating (b. 1948) is stylistically vast and rich in content. Despite its strong emotional and perceptional rhythms and grand gestures. But also loaded retreats into quiet waters, pictorial charge, his music is subject to strict analytical con- moods and moments of inner reflection. Musical drama devoid of dead moments. trol. Heiniö once said that contemporary music can in theory use just any material, but not in just for baritone, and the third is in the nature of a sin- ply enthralled by the theatre, which is one reason any way, and the same still holds. He personally fonia concertante for percussion and orchestra. why I’ve done operas. I might have an easier time if I traces the roots of his present expression back to “It’s been my idea to create a series of sympho- did something else, but it’s such a fascinating world.” his first symphony,Possible Worlds (1987) . nies in which I take stock of my situation at in- His operas likewise represent different ap- The kingpins of Heiniö’s output are his three tervals of roughly ten years. There’s been a slightly proaches. The first to be written was the archaically- operas, concertos, orchestral and large-scale vocal longer gap between the second and third, but the tinged church opera Riddaren och draken (The works, but equally important are his many compo- new one nevertheless continues the same idea. It’s Knight and the Dragon 2000). This was followed sitions for smaller ensemble. One major new addi- important for it to be a sinfonia concertante and by Käärmeen hetki (The Hour of the Serpent tion to his catalogue is his third symphony (2017), not a percussion concerto.” 2006), which was staged at the Finnish National to be premiered by the Turku Philharmonic Opera. His third opera, Erik XIV (Eric XIV), Orchestra on 18 May, at his 70th birthday concert. Theatre man about the 16th-century Swedish King Eric and his commoner wife, was premiered in the year in The linguistic dimension is pronounced in the mu- New takes on traditional genres which Turku was European Capital of Culture sic of Heiniö, as demonstrated by his many operas (2011) and was a large-scale production making Like symphonies for Sibelius and string quartets and vocal works. The languages of his chosen texts fine use of modern technology. for Bartók, piano concertos have become the genre bear strong cultural meanings, and the same can be Mikko Heiniö is already working on his next through which Mikko Heiniö has most regularly said of the titles of his works and their movements. opera, to a libretto by Pirkko Saisio. He “might examined his composer persona. In them, he has The five movements of theMaria Suite (2011), have an easier time” if he did not write operas, but sought new takes on the genre, and most of the for example, address interpretations of the Virgin composing them seems to be a force impossible for nine require some unconventional ‘extras’. Three Mary in five different languages and cultures. him to resist. of them have vocal sections, and the sixth (Hermes The biggest of Mikko Heiniö’s choral works 1994) and seventh (Khora 2001) were planned as is (Evening 2013–2014) , lasting nearly Ilta KIMMO KORHONEN dance works, though they can also be played as an hour in performance. It paints eleven power- concert items. The ninth –Nonno (2011) – is for ful atmospheres and evokes thoughts and feelings amplified piano and big band. of evening through texts in no fewer than six lan- “I have consciously sought different takes for the guages (Finnish, Swedish, English, German, Span- Footnotes concertos,” says Heiniö. “To me, it’s the only way to ish and French). Evening has been performed both • Heiniö’s Symphony No. 3 featuring a solo percussion section, piano, keep this genre alive. The same search for novel ideas as a pure concert item and as a dance theatre pro- celesta and harp is to be premiered by the Turku Philharmonic is also manifest in my chamber music, and I don’t have duction. Heiniö has collaborated closely with the Orchestra at his 70th birthday concert on 18 May. The concert will also any two chamber works scored for the same line-up.” Turku dance theatre ERI, and both Hermes and include his Maestoso for orchestra. The conductor will be Anja Bihlmaier. Mikko Heiniö’s three symphonies likewise re- Khora are intended both as concertos and as dance • The Wäinö Aaltonen Museum in Turku is putting on a concert of flect a similar approach. The second, for example works with ERI. chamber music on 8 April in honour of Heiniö’s birthday. On the (Songs of Night and Love 1997) , has a big part “I classify these works as music theatre. I’m sim- programme will be Café au lait and the Piano Quintet.

HIGHLIGHTS 1/2018 Calliope, from the film accompanying Absent Illussions – A Hunt for the Eluded Muses

Seven questions for Fredrik Högberg

Fredrik Högberg is currently in the limelight with the premiere of two new solo and rock music that makes me feel comfortable composing shorter movements. It is true that they concertos in the spring. A violin concerto and a bassoon concerto, both inspired are joined together in order to maintain the long by Greek myths and fables. line, something like islands with bridges between them. And of course I often have an extramusical 1 The violin concertoAbsent Illusions – A Hunt content, and then it is interesting with both sub- for the Eluded Muses will be premiered on 16 titles and short sections. I also like the suite form March at Tonhalle Düsseldorf. It was written for that I have inherited from Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, the Dutch violinist Isabelle van Keulen, playing Saint-Saëns and others; that could be part of it. both the violin and the viola. What lies behind the work, and is there any message? 6 For you, it is not a big step from humour to My violin concerto is an expression for, and a yearn- the depth of seriousness. In 2016 your chamber ing after, visions. The nine Muses on Mount Helicon opera Still My Fire was given its premiere and inspired the all-round artists and scientists of the aroused a great deal of attention. It tells the ancient world. In our time, when the world is often tragic story of the multibillionaire and Tetra portrayed as ugly, violent and barren, in art as well as Pak heir Hans-Kristian Rausing, who – when in the media and the debates, I miss the great, and his wife Eva dies after an overdose – locks even the naive, visions. Who will show us how it could himself in with her dead body in their luxurious be, and not merely how it is? I am looking for new London apartment for two months, because Muses who can inspire. Are they there even though he cannot accept that she is dead. How do you we don´t see them? depict such a difficult and dark subject? When the content of the narrative is so power- 2 Each and every Muse gets her own movement ful and demanding as in Still My Fire, the music in the concerto, and in between there are three captured her when she paints bodies and faces. does not need to emphasize it but rather it tries cadenzas and last of all the Tenth Muse. Could A kind of minimalistic video-scenography that to give another approach or reflection. Music that you tell us something about how the different accompanies the whole concerto. is a little easier to take in can function as a carrier Muses are given musical form? And who is the wave for an otherwise unbearable and traumatic Tenth Muse? 4 In The Baboon Concerto for bassoon, com- story. Something like swallowing down medicine When you read about the Muses in Greek mythol- posed for the Swedish prize-winning soloist with cognac. ogy their individual profiles become quite distinct, Sebastian Stevensson, your humorous side and I have simply let them take form through my shines through again. The soloist even gets to 7 What can we expect from you in the near musical intuition. Each one has her own special act and tell a story. What kind of story is this, future? sphere, but of course they have a great deal in com- and how will it be depicted? Well, I have composed quite a lot of music lately, so mon, too, and the music sometimes impinges on it- The Baboon Concerto is a narrative loosely based first it will be pleasant to take a break for a while! self to bind together the similarities. Who the Tenth on the story of the lazy grasshopper and the busy And enjoy the premieres. Muse is, is actually up to each listener to decide; the ant in the famous fable of Aesop. Sebastian will Then I have a number of interesting projects in one which is mine is revealed in the work! In the con- present the baboon and what he talks about. There the pipeline that I cannot reveal just yet. certo the romantically and fervently beautiful and will be virtuosity and highly theatrical pranks, and the explosively ugly and strident get on well together. humour too! Sebastian is an incredible musician KRISTINA FRYKLÖF Opposites that are suddenly in harmony without and an aesthetic soul. He´ll deliver some fantastic requiring consonance. The virtuosity ripples above moments when the concerto is premiered at the rumbling layers of rhythms and timbres, and in the Gothenburg Concert Hall in May. Premieres midst of this a face takes shape. 5 Both these concertos are divided into 14 • Absent Illusions – A Hunt for the Eluded Muses: Isabelle van 3 The concerto is also accompanied by film. sections, instead of the traditional three-move- Keulen and Düsseldorf SO/Alexandre Bloch on 16 March. What will we get to see on the screen? ment concerto form, and this is also something • Baboon Concerto: Sebastian Stevensson and Gothenburg SO/ The film shows another depiction of the Muses. we have seen in several of your earlier works. Tung-Chieh Chuang on 9 May. I have worked closely with the artist Caroline What are your thoughts concerning this? • Still my Fire: Piteå Chamber Opera and Norrbotten NEO/Anna- Strindlund and with a special technique I have I think it could possibly be my background in pop Maria Helsing on 15 October 2016.

HIGHLIGHTS 1/2018 A dazzlingly brilliant concert Virtuosity and flexibility shone through the first three Martinsson the wizard REVIEWS movements, but it was in the fourth – an outrageous Martinsson is something of a wizard when it evocation of a Jewish wedding – that the audience comes to sophisticated orchestral sound. In Tuomela in compelling mood experienced in full his taste for the theatrical. With ”Shimmering Islands” the sea is so shimmering Tuomela’s Symphony no. 3 is a compelling work… legs which seemed as elasticated as Mr. Bean’s, and placid. Dynamics and rhythm remain un- It proceeded like a musical fantasy, undulating Kriikku achieved the seemingly impossible feat of predictable; sometimes dramatic vulcanic forces smoothly from one association to another. It was all simultaneously dancing, shouting, shuffling around rumble and contrast in the middle of the airy held robustly together by the flowing movement the stage and playing breathtakingly virtuoso pas- scene. The audience has to listen closely in order characteristic of Tuomela’s orchestral writing, the sagework on the clarinet. This may have been an to perceive the nuances. pulsating rhythm merging with dreaminess and the eccentric concert, but it was a dazzlingly brilliant one. Sydsvenskan 16.2. late-Romantic wisps of melody. Straits Times 22.1. Rolf Martinsson: Shimmering Islands Etelä-Suomen Sanomat 7.12. Kimmo Hakola: Clarinet Concerto Swedish premiere: Malmö SO/Eun Sun Kim, 15.2.2018 Tapio Tuomela: Symphony No. 3 ‘Crossroads’ Singapore SO/Lim Yau, sol. Kari Kriikku 20.1.2018 Singapore Malmö, Sweden World premiere: Lahti SO/Dima Slobodeniouk, 6.12.2017 Lahti, Finland Pioneering and unprecedented Transcendental show-stopper Powerful Wennäkoski work orgy of timbre The cycle inhabits a sonic landscape somewhere Wennäkoski both continues the Finnish male choir The return of light is an orgy of timbre. Whittall between the Four Last Songs and Camelot, with tradition and modernises it in a way that is fresh demonstrates all the magic that can be achieved lush Broadway dissonances, undulating and invigorating… There is shamanism and verbal with the symbiosis of orchestra and choir. The fine orchestrations and soaring melodies… The final magic…The third movement, to words in Sámi, and dissonances tinkle, the webs fade into one another… song in the cycle, Mondnacht (Moon Night) is the fifth and last movement based on a folk poem Not all need to compose like Matthew Whittall, but a transcendental show-stopper, swelling and are wild and incantation-like. Thanks to the large luckily composers like Whittall exist. Through him, receding with mysterious energy and glorious band of singers, the sound grew and expanded into Finland’s composition culture has acquired some shimmering orchestrations, around which Lars- an intoxicating, murmurous mountain of sound. utterly new dimensions. son’s mellifluous soprano wove magically. Ich Helsingin Sanomat 7.12. Keski-Pohjanmaa 7.12. denke Dein… is a stunning Lotta Wennäkoski: Uniin asti (Until the Dreams) Matthew Whittall: Northlands, ad puram annihila- example of twenty-first for male choir and orchestra tionem meam, The return of light century lieder, and World premiere: Finnish RSO, Polytech Choir/Hannu Lintu, CD: Finnish RSO, Tapiola Sinfonietta, Helsinki Chamber Choir/Nils Larsson an equally 6.12.2017 Helsinki, Finland Schweckendiek, sol. Tommi Hyytinen, horn (Alba ABCD 416) spectacular inter- preter. Limelight 27.11. An imposing, moving opera My Brother’s Keeper is a great work that has been ten years in the making. The long and careful preparation is evident in the result, Rolf Martinsson: which is functional, polished and moving… Ich denke Dein… An imposing opera with no heroes… The sing- Australian premiere: ers have a chance to shine in aria-like scenes. Melbourne SO/Stanislav Helsingin Sanomat 18.2. Kochanovsky, sol. Lisa Larsson, soprano, The music of Olli Kortekangas has a great, 23.11.2017 Melbourne, unbridled Late-Romantic glow that is not far Australia

PHOTO: PETRI NUUTINEN PETRI PHOTO: removed from the sound world of Gustav Lisa Larsson Mahler, the mighty flow of Giuseppe Verdi or the sharp Neoromantic triads of Einojuhani Rautavaara. Another DOOMERNIK MERLIJN PHOTO: aspect of his music is the chamber opera-like sensitivity that makes the encounters so intimate and beautiful. Frida y Diego a hit in Moscow Aamulehti 17.2. The Russian production of Aho’s opera was a success The music of Olli Kortekangas is extremely skilfully written... The great feelings of the little person are his driv- in Moscow…Aho has undergone renewal as an opera ing force. There is also an echo of music of that time rewardingly written to allow free association. composer, for he saturated himself with Mexican folk Hufvudstadsbladet 17.2. music before starting to compose. He also incorporated Olli Kortekangas: Veljeni vartija (My Brother’s Keeper) some direct and swinging quotes from La Bamba and World premiere: Tampere PO, Tampere Opera Choir /Santtu-Matias Rouvali, sol. Tuuli Takala, Ville Rusanen, Tuomas Katajala, Juha Kotilainen, other hits, and the theremin timbres add effects to Päivi Nisula, Erika Back, Virpi Räisänen, libretto and direction: Tuomas Parkkinen, 16.2.2018 Tampere, Finland the dream scenes…The production by the Moscow Chamber Opera is a gratifying rarity, because Finnish A consummate artwork Puumala opera has usually been performed in Russia only dur- delves deep ing visits by the Finnish National Opera. Swedish composer Benjamin Helsingin Sanomat 15.12. Staern´s broadly constructed The music has both Kalevi Aho: Frida y Diego breadth and depth ”Air-Spiral-Light” was success- Russian premiere: Pokrovsky State Opera, cond. Dmitri Krjukov, sol. Viktorija fully premiered in the summer and excites the Preobrazenskaja, Jekaterina Bolsakova, Aleksandr Polkovnikov etc. of 2016. Then by able musicians imagination. It is

assembled for the festival, now VUORJOKISAARA PHOTO: anything but a pas- genuinely lived-through by the tiche: original and fascinating… Puumala makes full group in the NEO. Then exciting use of the potential of a large ensemble with a whole music-making, now a consum- battery of percussion and lots of brass. Recurring mate artwork with a far greater elements are a slowly swelling orchestral texture, range of expression. With the a fiercely pulsating passage and material with an excellent guitarist Jacob Keller- archaic or folksy stamp – a feature not unfamiliar in PHOTO: NIKLAS GUSTAVSSON NIKLAS PHOTO: mann still in the centre. Puumala. Jacob Kellermann Dagens Nyheter 5.2. Hufvudstadsbladet 24.11. Benjamin Staern: Air–Spiral–Light Veli-Matti Puumala: Root Norrbotten NEO/Christian Karlsen, sol. Jacob Kellermann, guitar, World premiere: Helsinki PO/Susanna Mälkki, 22.11.2017 Helsinki, 4.2.2018 Stockholm, Sweden Finland

HIGHLIGHTS 1/2018 Casting spells on the listener Exquisite Sandström When Nieminen composes for his own instrument, In Sven-David Sandström´s mighty the guitar, he casts a spell on the listener… Marco “Te Deum” the choir and the organ Ramelli has got to play the Stonehenge-evoking, engage in an intense and fateful ritual Shades and makes a really big impression picking exchange of retorts. The choir is out the innumerable rhythmic and timbral nuances driven to an extreme and has to yet in a way that is natural… Nieminen’s guitar music exert itself to the utmost. But the is a reminder that grey is not the only colour, and result is singularly beautiful when the voices reach to high heaven in joyfully triumphant crescendos. that colours look even brighter in the twilight. Yle.fi 1.12. Hufvudstadsbladet 17.1. PHOTO: ARNE HYCKENBERG ARNE PHOTO: Sven-David Sandström: Te Deum Daniel Harding and the Swedish Radio SO Kai Nieminen: Guitar works CD: Marta Dolzadelli, Marko Rutanen, Marco Ramelli, Patrik CD: Erik Westberg Vocal Ensemble/Erik Westberg, Helena Holmlund, Harding interprets Pettersson Kleemola, guitar (Pilfink, JJVCD-186 ’Rites & Shades’) organ (Studio Acusticum SA15 “Chorus Gloriosus“) The music starts out agitated and seething, as in the Among the Bach-inspired sacred late Shostakovich . . . with small motifs shooting up works of the 2000s, his ”St. John and a recurrent brass chord in the orchestral texture. Passion” is in a class by itself. It Daniel Harding´s interpretation extends over more is deeply personal and broadly than 48 minutes – unusually lengthy for this work universal, with a choice of poetry – and emphasizes the extremes. But it does not as exquisite as his beautiful lose the charge that is stippled by both percussion tone language. Moreover, it is detonations and sudden luminosity. Very Mahler- captured in a wonderful recording. like, one could say… Dagens Nyheter 13.12. Dagens Nyheter 4.12. Sven-David Sandström: The Passion of St. John Allan Pettersson: Symphony No. 7 CD: Mogens Dahl Chamber Choir/Mogens Dahl, Brooklyn Rider, sol. Swedish Radio SO/Daniel Harding, 1.12.2017 Stockholm, Sweden Daniel Karlsson, Lars Möller, Jens Björn Larsen (EXLCD 30186)

Brilliant Abrasax figures in the winds against the orchestra´s mood- Jörgen Dafgård: Abrasax – Concerto for Soprano The dark orchestral background provides the mel- creating structure, and the exultant pitches that Saxophone ancholy while the soprano saxophone straightens displayed both the instruments´ brilliant sonorities Västerås Sinfonietta/Jessica Cottis, sol. Anders Paulsson, 25.1.2018 out a hopeful arabesque all the way… I enjoyed the and Paulsson´s virtuosity. Västerås, Sweden groping, questioning and slightly touching thematic Vestmanlands Läns Tidning 27.1. REPERTOIRE TIPS Music for children KIMMO HAKOLA PEKKA JALKANEN ILKKA KUUSISTO Mara and Katti (2011) The Trip to Panama Muumiooppera/Die Muminoper/The Moomin Opera Dur: 55’ (Oh, wie schön ist Panama) (1974) Dur: 65’ Libretto: Johanna Jokipaltio (1989) Dur: 28’ Libretto: Esko Elstelä after Tove Jansson (in Finnish or German) (in Finnish) Text: Janosch (in Finnish, 7 soloists, 2 other roles, dancers and orchestra: 1111-2111-02-hp-str Children’s opera for 4 soloists, Swedish, English or German) A jolly opera based on the children’s book Moominsummer Mad- descant choir and ensemble: A musical fable for narrator, ness by Tove Jansson, in which a nearby volcano causes a mas- cl, hp, pf, acc, vla treble recorder, harpsichord sive wave to flood The opera is packed with action and ensemble: fl/afl/2perc/ Moominvalley. The and provides plenty of food for str(44321) Moomins and their the imagination. The story is about Mara, who meets a singing cat This is a delightful, through- friends take refuge called Katti. During their journey, they encounter the rat king, lan- composed musical fable in the opera house guish in prison and escape on a scooter. Hakola’s virtuoso fairytale based on a charming story of as it floats by and music creates a musical adventure all of its own. Entertainment, friendship and adventure by Janosch. A bear and a tiger are taking begin studying this humour and intelligent sophistication go hand in hand while the a trip to the Panama of dreams. In the course of their exciting ad- vocal art. Kuusisto’s music switches from one genre to another, from children’s song, venture, they meet live beasts of the forest and learn new things. music gleefully bor- minimalism and Baroque to archaic style or Balkan music. According to Jalkanen, the work takes the form of a set of variations in rows from many which the musical texture moulds itself around the events of the plot. genres and introduces its young audiences not only to traditional FREDRIK HÖGBERG opera but also to oratorio, operetta and even dance music. Higgins & Mr. Wrengengengengeng (1993) Dur: 50’ Text in Swedish and English ERLAND VON KOCH A musical fairy tale/ballet for Pelle Svanslös/Pelle Schwanzlos/Peter Tailless, the Cat BENJAMIN STAERN narrator, dancers and orchestra: (1948/88) Dur: 60’ Snödrottningen/The Snow Queen (2016) Dur: 70’ 2222-2220-13-0-pf-str Libretto: Gösta Knutsson (in Libretto: Anelia Kadieva Jonsson after H.C. Andersen (in Swedish) An exuberant musical fairy tale and Swedish and German) 11 soloists, children’s chorus and orchestra: 2222-2220-02-hp-pf/ dance performance. The narrative grew 16 soloists and orchestra: sampler-str out of the collaboration of a hundred 1111-1110-01-pf/cel(kbd) The Snow Queen is based on H.C. Andersen´s well-known fairy preschool children. It is about the little A colourful children’s op- tale about Gerda, who ventures out to save her friend Kai after he princess whose unicorn is abducted by era based on the popular has been abducted by the Snow Queen. the evil wizard Mr. Wrengengengengeng. children’s books by Gösta The evil and the goodness are easily rec- She gets help from the good-natured Knutsson about the adven- ognizable in the music, depicted with Higgins, who lives alone in the forest tures of a cat without a tail. You meet his friends but also cats that sharp dissonances and noise, or in ma- with his flowers. We also meet the pirate constantly tease him for being tailless. The opera consists of 33 short jor/minor harmonies. The music is con- “Piano”, a pair of dancing cactuses, evil musical numbers, divided into seven scenes, in which the composer genial with the tale, it is full of flashes trolls, et al. The music is stirring, imagi- captures the characters of the various cats in the story by giving them of wit and swarming with musical refer- native, humorous and entertaining. It is an easily recognisable theme. The opera’s frisky, rhythmic and light- ences. It is an opera replete with excite- rhythmical and full of dance, Spanish rhythms, waltzes, jazz, folk hearted music matches to perfection the good humour and high ment, humour and a heart-warming music and rumbling troll drums. spirits of the text. message, friendship´s victory over evil.

HIGHLIGHTS 1/2018 NEW PUBLICATIONS

CHAMBER & INSTRUMENTAL

J.S. BACH/ARR. KALEVI AHO UUNO KLAMI KAI NIEMINEN Contrapunctus XIV Tema con 7 variazioni Shades around Stonehenge from Die Kunst der Fuge e coda per violoncello for guitar solo four-part instrumentation ed orchestra FG 979-0-55011-322-0 Score and parts: Piano reduction: FG 979-0-55011-411-1 FG 979-0-55011-408-1 JEAN SIBELIUS Six Humoresques DANIEL BÖRTZ TOIVO KUULA Opp. 87 & 89 for violin A piacere Kamarimusiikkia and orchestra for recorder and – Chamber Music A new piano reduction based harpsichord Instrumentation and level of difficulty on the Urtext orchestral version GE 13270 vary from work to work. FG 979-0-55011-274-2 Score and parts: FG 979-0-55011-308-4

ORCHESTRAL CHORAL NEW CDs UUNO KLAMI SCORES NOW DANIEL BERG/ AVAILABLE FROM FENNICA FREDRIK DUVLING MATS BERGSTRÖM (ARR.) GEHRMAN 5 Funny Pieces for the young choir Sonata No. 1 G minor, Partita No. 1 Karelian Marketplace / B Minor, Sonata No. 2 A Minor, Karjalainen tori Op. 39 for speech choir, body Partita No. 2 D Minor, Sonata No. 3 FG 979-0-55011-403-6 percussion and percussion C Major, Partita No. 3 E Major Northern Lights / Aurore Texts in English Mats Bergström, guitar boréale Op. 38 GE 13249 MBCD05 “Bach – Sei solo“ FG 979-0-55011-404-3 Scènes de la vie campagnarde REIBJÖRN SVEN-DAVID SANDSTRÖM / Scenes from Country Life CARLSHAMRE Jesu, meine Freude; Fürchte dich FG 979-0-55011-405-0 Ubi caritas nicht, ich bin bei dir; Singet dem Une Nuit à Montmartre for choir SATB a cappella Herrn ein neues Lied Op. 8 – Piano Concerto Text in Latin Kammerchor Hannover/Stephan Doorman FG 979-0-55011-406-7 GE 13250 Rondeau 8075605 Opernredoute 1929 for orchestra PER EKEDAHL LARS KARLSSON FG 979-0-55011-407-4 Five Shakespeare Songs Seven Songs to texts by for choir SSAA a cappella Pär Lagerkvist, Clarinet Concerto TOIVO KUULA / Lapland ChO/John Storgårds, sol. Gabriel Text: William Shakespeare (Eng) Suovanen, baritone, Christoffer Sundqvist, clarinet ARR. SIRKKA KUULA GE 13281 BIS-SACD 2286 Soitinnuksia jousiorkesterille / Orchestrations for String JOONAS KOKKONEN/ ERKKI MELARTIN Orchestra ARR. JOUKO LINJAMA Songs to Swedish texts Score and parts: Requiem Hedvig Paulig, soprano, Ilmo Ranta, piano, Vol. 1: FG 979-0-55011-393-0 Arrangement for organ, soloists Jan Söderblom, violin Vol. 2: FG 979-0-55011-394-7 and SATB choir Toccata Classics 0416 Vol. 3: FG 979-0-55011-395-4 Linjama’s skilled transcription brings the much-loved Requiem KAI NIEMINEN ALBERT SCHNELZER Guitar works: Omaggio a Bruno by Joonas Kokkonen to new Bulletproof platforms; it is now possible to Munari, Northern Spells, Shades for orchestra around Stonehenge, Sonata ‘A Walk perform the work with soloists (2), to the Mysterious Woods’ GE 13012 (score) GE 13014 (study score) mixed choir and organ. Marta Dolzadelli, Marko Rutanen, Vocal score: Marco Ramelli, Patrik Kleemola, guitar FG 979-0-55011-412-8 Pilfink JJVCD-186 ’Rites & Shades’ OLLE LINDBERG JACOB MÜHLRAD Mässa till tröst/Consolation Mass Anim zemirot for mixed choir, childrens choir and violin EINOJUHANI RAUTAVAARA Text in Swedish and English Die erste Elegie GE 13251 (score) EERO SIPILÄ For mot jord ALEXANDER JAN ÖBERG Idem perpetuo VELJO TORMIS are taught by Professor Géza Szilvay Laevas lauldakse etc. Video lessons for choir SATB a cappella Kampin laulu Choir/Kari Turunen and consist of 4 years’ systematic Text: Anna Simonsson (Lat) KLCD 006 ’Jalat maassa’ Minifiddlers video lessons help teaching material, starting with GE 13248 violin teachers develop their complete beginners and following EINOJUHANI RAUTAVAARA professional skills and provide the Colourstrings books. Works for Cello and Piano: Sonatas practical tools for working with Minifiddlers is a distance for Cello and Piano 1&2, Two little Colourstrings students. education solution to violin study Preludes and Fugues, Sonata for They are also suitable for parents Cello Solo, Song of My Heart developed by Caprice Oy, Finland. Tanja Tetzlaff, cello, Gunilla Süssmann, piano wishing to support their child’s Information and videos at Ondine ODE-1310-2 practising at home. The lessons www.minifiddlers.org.

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