Sakari Oramo, conductor Taija Kilpiö, violin Ilari Angervo, viola

Jouni Kaipainen: Aubade beninoise, Grand Popo version, 8 min Op. 86c

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Sinfonia concertante in E flat major, 25 min KV 364 I Allegro maestoso II Andante III Presto

INTERVAL 20 min

Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony no. 5 in C minor, Op. 67 31 min “Fate” I Allegro con brio II Andante con moto III Allegro IV Allegro

Interval at about 7.45 pm. Th e concert ends at about 8.45 pm. Broadcast live on YLE Radio 1 and the Internet (www.yle.fi /rso).

1 Jouni Kaipainen (b. 1956): Aubade beninoise, Grand Popo version, Op. 86c

Eight years ago my wife and I paid a visit to the bade beninoise and assigned it the opus number Republic of Benin in West Africa, where the Vil- 86b as a sequel to Th e Ghost of Buster, Op. 86a. la Karo – a Finnish-Benin culture centre – had Now that the Finnish Radio Symphony Orches- just been opened. I already decided back then tra is to visit and give a concert at the Villa Karo, that one day I would transform this tremen- I did yet another version with slightly diff er- dous, positive culture shock into a composi- ent orchestration and called it Aubade beninoise, tion. I had visions of an impressionistic sun- Grand Popo version, Op. 86c – Grand Popo be- rise, shrouded in mist yet dazzlingly bright, ing the village snaking along the Gulf of Guin- over the Atlantic at a point where the nearest ea where the Villa Karo stands. opposite shore is in the Antarctic. Integral ele- Th e idea of imitating the use and mood of Af- ments of this musical vision are West African rican drums sprang not from touristy exoticism drums, djembes, and a hymn performed in uni- but from the genuine fascination for a unique son by a large group of instruments emerging phenomenon that featured prominently in my from the mist. Th is then lent itself to a larg- life during that visit. At the end the composi- er orchestral work, Th e Ghost of Buster, which tion does, moreover, create some cultural links: lasts some twenty minutes and draws togeth- the djembes give way to the frame drum famil- er some highly incompatible ideas via a com- iar in and also widely known as a “sha- plex background mesh: comedy mixed with the man’s drum” to enhance the enchanting percus- tears of the stone-faced antihero of the silent sion world that dominates the Aubade beninoise. fi lm, the sudden death of an actor friend of One of our last joint projects with my ac- mine, the fertile confl ict between the construc- tor friend Markku Peltola was a song arrange- tive and fantastic sides of the music. And then ment in many voices he asked me to make of this fruit of my trip to Benin, popping up as the African lullaby Abi yo yo (the one another an additional element that gradually emerges good friend of mine, Toru Takemitsu, used in from the texture and dominates the latter part his choral work Wind Horse). Peltola never lived of Th e Ghost of Buster. In making this closing to hear it, but it is here to end the piece in a suf- section an independent piece, I only needed to fi ciently optimistic and beautiful mood. write fi ve bars as a new beginning and to down- scale the orchestra. I called the new work Au- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791): Sinfonia concertante in E flat major, KV364

Th e Sinfonia concertante, a cross between a in Paris, and from there passed into the hands symphony and a concerto for 2-9 solo instru- of members of the Mannheim school serving ments and orchestra, was a major musical gen- their apprenticeship in the French capital: the re in the Classical era and particularly popu- sons of Johann Stamitz, Christian Cannibach, lar in France. Many were composed between Franz Dazi and Johann Christian Bach. In Vien- 1750 and 1830, and especially for a decade or na it caught the attention of Mozart and Haydn. more from the mid-1770s onwards. As a genre, Th e Sinfonia concertante in E fl at major, KV the Sinfonia concertante has much in common 364 for violin and viola shows Mozart at his with the Baroque Concerto grosso. It was gre- more spirited. He wrote it in 1779 and proba- atly favoured by such composers as Ignaz Pleyel bly played both solo parts, for the viola was his

2 favourite instrument. It begins in the concer- zas, again allowing each soloist to speak in turn. to tradition with a long orchestral introduction If the beauty of the fi rst movement is by na- presenting the themes. In addition to being ro- ture jubilant, that of the second is slightly more bust and beautiful, these are carefully crafted to pungent. Th e lightly tripping beat provides the suit both instruments. Th e jubilant exposition perfect setting for the noble C minor theme of the fi rst underlines the idea of a symphony, and when, in its fi rst entry, the viola switch- as does the fact that the soloists mostly imitate es to the major, it feels like a little miracle. At each other: the violin makes a statement which the end the movement subsides into the shad- the viola reiterates before leading it in a new ows from which it began. Here, then, is the direction. Th e impression is thus of an amica- 23-year-old Mozart at his most amusing and ble dialogue in keeping with the basic mood of most mischievous. the material. As in a concerto, there are caden- Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827): Symphony no. 5 in C minor, Op. 67 “Fate”

Beethoven’s fi fth symphony (1804–08) was urban middle classes were becoming the main premiered on 22 December 1808 at an incre- consumers of concert music and the sympho- dible, mammoth concert at the Th eater an der ny concert institution such as we know it to- Wien. Lasting some four hours, the program- day was thus beginning to see the light of day. me included not only this symphony but also Beethoven stood at the centre of this develop- the sixth (the Pastoral), the fourth piano con- ment, and despite his sweeping innovations, certo and the Choral Fantasia for piano, orchest- his music gradually came to be regarded as ‘uni- ra and chorus composed at the very last minu- versal’. All this took place within his lifetime. te. Arranging the concert had been an extre- Th e main dramatic idea of the Symphony mely laborious task for Beethoven; the ventu- no. 5 is, of course, the passage from oppres- re had at times met with considerable opposi- sion to liberation – an idea that provided the tion. Nor was it any easier for the others invol- romantic symphony with most of its driving ved in the project. Working with a hot-tempe- force for nearly a hundred years to come. In red, strong-willed monster such as Beethoven Beethoven’s fi fth the process takes in many cannot have been much of a picnic. At one sta- stages and levels. Th e crushing Angst of the ge he even threatened to turn his back for ever fi rst movement was the almost monolithic out- on Vienna unless things improved. In the end come of immense compositional eff ort and is the concert suff ered the same fate as so many readily interpreted as the faceless threat of the ambitious undertakings: if something could go ‘mass’ to the individual in art. ‘Fate’ was a pop- wrong, then it did; there were virtually no re- ular term in the 19th century, which goes a long hearsals, and the standard of the performances way to explaining why Anton Schindler reports would appear to have bordered on catastrophic. Beethoven as uttering it in speaking of his fi fth Th e project was part of Beethoven’s peculiar, symphony. Th e vital thing is that this ‘mass’ is historically signifi cant ‘initiation rite’. Not on- felt to be universal, and to be directed at the in- ly was it in keeping with the spirit of the times; dividual. In listening to the second movement it also helped to create it. Th e contemporary with its two-part variation theme, it is handy trend was away from the culture centred on and to think of the private and public domains – maintained by the noble courts. At communi- two elements that alternate in the movement ty or public level this was manifest in, for ex- as a whole. Th e scherzo and fi nale may be re- ample, the democratisation of the concert: the garded as an exciting role change in which the

3 familiar ‘fate knocking at the door’ motif ac- tainty towards victory, fi rst private and then quires new meaning. Angst proceeds via uncer- more public.

Jouni Kaipainen (abridged) Sakari Oramo

Sakari Oramo has been Chief Conductor of the With the FRSO Mr Oramo has toured to Vi- Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra since Au- enna, Prague, Germany and Switzerland, as gust 2003. An accomplished violinist, he began well as the BBC Proms, the Canary Islands and his career as co-leader of the orchestra in 1991 Edinburgh Festivals. In October 2005 he took and went on to obtain a conducting diploma in the orchestra on tour to Japan and was imme- the class of at the Sibelius Acade- diately invited back for February 2007. my. In January 1993 he replaced an ailing con- Th e FRSO and Sakari Oramo have recorded ductor at very short notice; the resulting con- music (for ) by such Finnish compos- cert was an unprecedented success, leading to ers as Hakola, Lindberg, Kaipainen and Kok- his appointment as Associate Chief Conductor konen, and the debut release of Launis’s opera as of autumn 1994. Four years later he began as Aslak Hetta. His disc of works by Magnus Lind- Principal Conductor of the City of Birmingham berg, and the Bartók disc by Warner Classics Symphony Orchestra, an appointment that was have received great international acclaim. His renamed Music Director in autumn 1999. He disc (Ondine) of Symphonies 3 and 5 by Nor- resigned from his ten-year term in Birmingham dgren won the French Académie Charles Cros in spring 2008 but continues as the orchestra’s award, and that of Lindberg the prize of the Principal Guest Conductor. As of the 2008/09 BBC Music Magazine and the Classic FM Gram- season he will be Chief Conductor and Artistic ophone Award in 2006. Th e recording by Mr Advisor of the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Oramo, the FRSO and of the Orchestra. He is also Principal Guest Conduc- Violin Concertos by Magnus Lindberg and Jean tor of the Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra Sibelius was honoured with a MIDEM Classical and of Opera. Award in 2008. Mr Oramo has conducted many of the Sakari Oramo received an Honorary Doc- world’s leading orchestras, such as the Berlin, torate in summer 2004 from the University New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Oslo Phil- of Central England in Birmingham. In sum- harmonics, the Paris, Cleveland and Minnesota mer 2008 he was awarded the prestigious Elgar Orchestras, the Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Medal in recognition of his work to further the NHK Symphony and the Frankfurt RSO. Th e reputation of Elgar and his music. next few years will include visits to the Berlin Philharmonic, Staatskapelle Dresden and San Francisco Symphony.

Taija Kilpiö

Taija Kilpiö has appeared as a soloist and in is regularly invited to feature at major festivals chamber ensembles both in Finland and in and concert series in Europe. She was one of the most parts of Europe. As a member of the re- founders of the ‘String Quartets at the Ritari- nowned New Quartet since 2000, she huone’ series organised by the New Helsinki has performed at Finnish music festivals and Quartet in Helsinki and is a member of the Ker-

4 beros ensemble. Joining the ranks of the Finn- of Music with Pertti Sutinen, Seppo Tukiainen, ish Radio Symphony Orchestra in 1997, she Mihaela Martin and others, and at the Kuhmo has been co-leader since 2001. Th e previous Violin School with Zinaida Gilels, Pavel Vernik- year she graduated from the ov and Ilja Grubert. Taija Kilpiö plays an early as a pupil of Mi-Kyung Lee after also studying 18th century Geoff redo Cappa violin owned by in Lahti, Finland and at the Cologne University the Finnish Broadcasting Company.

Ilari Angervo

Ilari Angervo has been the soloist with most of of the Finnish Chamber Orchestra, the Avan- the Finnish orchestras. He gave the premiere ti! Chamber Orchestra, the Kerberos ensemble performance of the Viola Concerto by Jou- and the New Renttu Quartet. After studying ni Kaipainen with the Tapiola Sinfonietta un- the violin with Leena Siukonen at the Sibelius der in 1999 and of Juha T. Koski- Academy, Ilari Angervo switched to the viola nen’s Hamlet-machine with the Zagros ensem- as a pupil of Helge Valtonen and Jouko Mans- ble in 2000. Leader of the viola section in the nerus and gained his diploma with distinction Finnish National Opera Orchestra 1987-88, he in 1993. He also studied at the Berlin Univer- has occupied the same position in the Finnish sity of the Arts with Wolfram Christ and re- Radio Symphony Orchestra since 1990, was a ceived further tuition from Matti Hirvikangas founding member of the celebrated New Hel- and Rainer Moog. sinki Quartet and can also be heard in the ranks

The Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra

Th e Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra (FR- gem is the Andante festivo conducted by the SO), the orchestra of the Finnish Broadcasting composer, Jean Sibelius, at the Helsinki Con- Company (YLE), celebrated its 80th anniversa- servatory (now the Sibelius Academy) Hall. Th is ry in autumn 2007. Its Chief Conductor is Saka- recording is the only known document of Sibe- ri Oramo, who assumed the post in 2003 after lius in the role of conductor. nine years as its conductor. With Sakari Oramo the FRSO has record- Th e Radio Orchestra of ten players founded ed music by Bartók, Hakola, Lindberg, Kaipai- in 1927 grew to a full-size symphony orchestra nen, Kokkonen and others, and the debut disc in the 1960s. Its chief conductors have been of the opera Aslak Hetta by Armas Launis. Its Toivo Haapanen, Nils-Eric Fougstedt, Paavo discs have won many prestigious distinctions, Berglund, Okko Kamu, Leif Segerstam and Juk- such as Gramophone and BBC Music Magazine ka-Pekka Saraste. awards. Its most recent honour, a MIDEM Clas- Contemporary music is a major item in the sical Award, was for the recording of the Lind- repertoire of the FRSO, which each year pre- berg and Sibelius Violin Concertos with Lisa Ba- mieres a number of YLE commissions. All in all tiashvili as the soloist in 2008. Another record- the FRSO has so far premiered more than 500 ing of Lindberg’s orchestral pieces was select- works. Its programme for the 2009/10 season ed as the record of the year 2008 by the New features six world and many Finnish premieres. York Times. Th e FRSO recordings now number over 100, Th e FRSO has been on major tours all over on the Ondine and other labels. One historic the world and given nearly 300 concerts abroad.

5 It has visited Japan four times. During the nel, YLE Radio 1. Th ey are usually broadcasted 2009/10 season it will be visiting St. Peters- live and can also be heard worldwide via the In- burg, Benin, and Stockholm. ternet (www.yle.fi /rso). All the FRSO concerts, both in Finland and abroad, can be heard on the FRSO’s home chan-

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