25 JANUARY FRIDAY SERIES 9 Helsinki Music Centre at 7 pm

WITOLD LUTOSLAWSKI 100 YEARS

Hannu Lintu, conductor Peter Jablonski, piano Emma Vähälä, violin Christoffer Sundqvist, clarinet

Magnus Lindberg: Away 5 min

Witold Lutoslawski: Piano Concerto 27 min

INTERVAL 20 min

Witold Lutoslawski: Chain 2 18 min

I Ad libitum II A battuta III Ad libitum IV A battuta – Ad libitum – A battuta

Esa-Pekka Salonen: Nyx (Yle commission, fp in Finland) 19 min

Interval at about 19.45. The concert ends at about 21.00. Broadcast live on Yle Radio 1 and the Internet at yle.fi/rso.

1 WITOLD LUTOSLAWSKI tal carried him off at an extremely acti- ve point in his life. Leaving the musical 100 YEARS world to mourn him. Magnus Lindberg, a great admirer Born in Warsaw on January 25, 1913, of Lutoslawski, was one of the first to Witold Lutoslawski was one of the gre- react to the sad news. The little Away atest composers of the 20th century. he composed in the master’s memory Not only did he establish an extremely was soon heard in performance. It is personal idiom in the course of his long scored for a solo clarinet (naturally Kari career; he also developed new techni- Kriikku at the premiere), percussion, cal devices that have long been used piano and a string chamber orchestra. universally by composers of modern It requires little comment, for the tit- music. No less important are his obser- le and the ethereal mood of the music vations on form and dramatic structu- speak for themselves. The beautifully re and the ensuing highly original solu- soft texture is akin to that of the big tions. But most important of all are, of orchestral Aura composed at around course, the glow, depth and artistry of the same time. his music.

WITOLD LUTOSLAWSKI MAGNUS LINDBERG (1913–1994): PIANO (1958–): AWAY CONCERTO

The death of Lutoslawski in February The Piano Concerto has four move- 1994 undoubtedly came as a surprise to ments performed without a break. those who had seen him as guest com- Though not given titles, they could poser at the Helsinki Biennale less than be called ‘introduction’, ‘scherzo’, ‘slow a year before. For the Maestro had deli- movement’ and ‘finale’. According to vered a large programme at a very brisk Lutoslawski’s own programme note tempo, delighted the Biennale audien- (Chester Novello): “In the first and ce as a conductor and left a spright- third, the motifs presented are as if ly, genial impression. After listening to ‘nonchalant’, light, sometimes rather the New Helsinki Quartet at Finlandia capricious, never over-serious. In cont- Hall, he hurried to congratulate the rast to the first and third, the second players and leapt over a barricade of and fourth sections are filled with a cases and coats “just like a hurdler”, as broad ‘cantilena’, finally leading to the writer Juha Siltanen put it after inter- highpoint of the whole movement. The viewing him. The MRSA infection that second movement is a kind of ‘moto attacked its otherwise fit victim after perpetuo’, a quick ‘chase’ by the piano a routine operation in a London hospi- against the background of the orchest-

2 ra, which ends by calmly subsiding in WITOLD LUTOSLAWSKI: preparation for the third movement. The third movement opens with a re- CHAIN 2 FOR VIOLIN citative for the piano alone, which then AND CHAMBER intones, also without the involvement ORCHESTRA of the orchestra, a singing ‘largo’ the- me. The middle section, beginning with the entrance of the orchestra, Lutoslawski had, from the 1960s on- contrasts against the first section with wards, often played with the idea of moments of a more sudden, drama- continuity by telescoping the seams tic character. The ‘cantilena’, without between sections: one begins before orchestral accompaniment, returns at the other has finished. In around 1980 the end of the movement. he decided to make his instinctively- “The fourth movement, by its applied strategy a conscious method, a construction, alludes to the Baroque ‘chain’ technique. This is applied at its form of the Chaconne. Its theme (al- purest in the three works preceding the ways played by the orchestra) consists Piano Concerto to which he gave the of short notes separated by rests and title Chain: the first (1983) is for cham- not (as with the traditional Chaconne) ber orchestra, the second (1984–1985) chords. This theme, repeated many ti- for violin and small orchestra, and the mes, provides only one layer of the third (1986) for large orchestra. musical discourse. Against this backg- Of the three, Chain 2 possibly de- round the piano each time presents monstrates the idea most clearly, be- another episode. These two layers ope- cause the soloist-orchestra setup is a rate in the sense of ‘Chain-form’, i.e. the great aid to understanding the music. beginnings and endings of the piano As regards solo bravura and drama, the episodes do not correspond with the work is a full-blooded concerto, even beginnings and endings of the theme. though its total length is under 20 mi- They come together only once, towards nutes. Lutoslawski always expressed his the end of the work. The theme ap- message succinctly and not even the pears again for the last time in a shor- listener with a short attention span has tened form (without rests) played by time to get bored. Chain 2 was com- the whole orchestra without the piano. posed for violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter There follows a short piano recitative, and conductor-impresario Paul Sacher. ‘fortissimo’, against the background of Mutter, then 22 and just getting laun- the orchestra, and a short Coda ‘presto’ ched on her illustrious career, was the concludes the work.” soloist at the premiere in Zurich in January 1986 with the Collegium musi- cum conducted by Sacher. Chain 2 is in four movements the na- mes of which speak of their organisati- on: the first and third are played ad libi-

3 tum, i.e. “freely”, the second and fourth feeling of the here-and-now, of somet- A battuta, “on the beat”, though the fi- hing happening at the very moment. nale does have a short ad libitum sec- Nyx is a nebulous narcosis in sound in tion in the middle. The soloist reigns which the constant shift between dark supreme, but the orchestra does get a and light yields countless degrees of word in now and then, and what it has shade. The flageolet notes on strings to say is weighty. The first movement and woodwinds, plucking and muting is again an introduction seeking direc- techniques, together with mysterious tion in which the soloist weaves toget- percussion instruments create a sha- her disparate strands and the orchestra dowy screen of varying thickness, from merely comments, except for near the the sucking vortex of a tuba to ethereal end. The second movement is fresh and violin harmonics. whimsical; the orchestra is assigned a The feeling of space is tremendous. bigger role and both goes along with The texture is transparent and clear, and opposes the soloist. The third mo- so that the bottom is always visible vement, with its unusual timbres and through the currents and whirlpools mysterious twists, is an exotic fantasy, travelling in different directions, thus a message from afar. Its final build-up creating a vast impression of depth. leads the violins to a high, loud and un- The weave is as soft as the hub of a expected unison and resigned closing dream. At the same time it generates gestures from the soloist. Movement a surrealistic sense of superimposed and virtuosity take the leading role in images and of processes swarming be- the dashing finale, working towards st- neath the surface. riking blocks of sound. The texture ne- Nyx ignites at one little point. A horn vertheless thins out before the ad libi- quartet forebodes lengthening sha- tum climax and piano cadenza. dows, until the whole orchestra bursts into flames with web-like clusters, as if Jouni Kaipainen (abridged) Nyx were spreading her black wings all over the world. Delicate filigrees alter- nate with brutal outcries: cosmic mo- biles and surging bacchanalias. The ESA-PEKKA SALONEN woodwind flurries, the strings’ hum- (1958–): NYX ming tops and glittering arpeggios cre- ate a magical spiral of sound. The open brass chords are simply dazzling. The Named after the ancient goddess of effect is one of some invisible yet per- the night, Nyx (2011), is one of the ceivable deposition or materialisation. most recent additions to the growing To use a concept established by Michel series of orchestral works by Esa-Pekka Chion, the music creates an acousma- Salonen. His style is immediately re- tic being: a force manifest as a pure cognisable: a dazzlingly sensuous world sound and felt to be supernatural that of timbre, a physical pulse, and a strong both fascinates and intimidates. The

4 bass drum alone says this: we are at the Dublin. Previously he had held the po- very heart of the sublime. As in Wing on sitions of Chief Conductor of the Turku Wing, the music sets linear time out of Philharmonic Orchestra and Artistic joint; the impression is both mythical Director of the Helsingborg Symphony and sci-fi, as if something were happe- Orchestra. He also works regularly with ning long, long ago in the future. the Avanti! Chamber Orchestra and was Nyx the goddess of the night is the Artistic Director of its Summer Sounds mother of both sleep and death, and festival in 2005. Discs by Hannu Lintu of the joys of the senses, dreams and have been released on the Ondine, daytime. Nyx is the black backcloth Alba, Naxos, Ricordi, Claves, Hyperion against which the colours of life are re- and Danacord labels. Major forthco- vealed in all their brightness. ming projects include recordings of the complete Mozart Piano Concertos Susanna Välimäki (abridged) with Angela Hewitt and the comple- te Enescu Symphonies. Mr. Lintu will also be recording extensively with the FRSO. HANNU LINTU In addition to conducting the leading Finnish orchestras, Maestro Lintu has made guest appearances with Chief Conductor Designate of the the Radio Orchestras in Berlin, Paris, Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Amsterdam and for a term beginning in 2013, and for Madrid, with a number of orchest- the year leading up to this its Principal ras in North and South America (such Guest Conductor, Hannu Lintu will as the Toronto, Houston, Baltimore, be continuing his fruitful collaborati- Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and St. Louis on with the Finnish Radio Symphony Symphony Orchestras, and the Los Orchestra for many years to come. Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Hannu Lintu studied in the Sibelius Bowl), in Asia (Tokyo and Kuala Academy’s conducting class taught by Lumpur) and Australia (the Sydney and Jorma Panula, Eri Klas and Ilja Musin. Melbourne Symphony Orchestras and He has further been tutored by, among others). Forthcoming engagements others, Myung Whun Chung at the for the 2012/2013 season include ap- Music Academy Siena. Winner of the pearances with the Sydney Symphony Nordic Conducting Competition in Orchestra, the London Philharmonic, Bergen in 1994, he graduated from the the Minnesota Orchestra, the NDR Sibelius Academy in spring 1996. Symphony Orchestra and many of the Artistic Director and Chief Conductor BBC orchestras. of the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra until spring 2013, Hannu Lintu is also Principal Guest Conductor of the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra in

5 PETER JABLONSKI This season Jablonski appears with the Warsaw Philharmonic, Brussels Philharmonic and the Royal Born in Sweden to Swedish and Polish Philharmonic on tour in the UK, and in parents, Peter Jablonski studied the recitals in Tokyo, Brussels, Munich and piano and percussion at the Malmo Seoul. Recently Peter Jablonski has ta- Academy of Music, and later piano ken up conducting. Also a passionate and conducting at the Royal College chamber musician, he is the founder of Music in London. At the age of nine and Artistic Director of the Carlscrona he appeared at the Village Vanguard Chamber Music Festival in Sweden. festival in New York, receiving praise from the legendary Miles Davis. In his final year at the RCM he was invited by Vladimir Ashkenazy to record his de- EMMA VÄHÄLÄ but disc with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra for Decca. This launched his professional career. Emma Vähälä, winner of prizes in violin Since his debut in Washington competitions from 1984 onwards, gra- DC in 1992 and at the Royal duated from the Sibelius Academy with Festival Hall in London in 1993, distinction in 2000. The following year Jablonski has performed and recor- she obtained a Master’s degree in mu- ded with the world’s finest orchest- sic. She studied the violin with Pertti ras, including the Philharmonia, BBC Sutinen, Tuomas Haapanen, Zinaida Symphony, Philadelphia, Los Angeles Gilels, Ilja Grubert and Pavel Vernikov, Philharmonic, Leipzig Gewandhaus and and in masterclasses with Igor Ozim, La Scala Philharmonic. He has collabo- Cho-Liang Lin and others. Emma has rated with such distinguished conduc- appeared in solo and chamber reper- tors as Vladimir Ashkenazy, Riccardo toire, at the major Finnish music fes- Chailly, Myung-Whun Chung, Charles tivals, in most countries of Europe and Dutoit, Valery Gergiev and Esa-Pekka in America, Russia and Japan. She is Salonen. His extensive discography on a member of the Virtuosi di Kuhmo the Decca, Altara Records and Octavia and plays in the ranks of Avanti! and Records labels features award-winning the Finnish Chamber Orchestra. Since releases. 2008 she has guested as leader of the Highlights of the past season in- Gulbenkian Symphony Orchestra in clude recitals at the Queen Elizabeth Lisbon and the Orquestra da Musica da Hall in London, the Berlin Konzerthaus, Casa Porto, Portugal. the Berwaldhallen in Stockholm Emma Vähälä was appointed 2nd and the Tokyo Suntory Hall as well leader of the Finnish Radio Symphony as concerto engagements with the Orchestra in 2000. Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, Seoul Philharmonic, Tokyo Symphony and Mostly Mozart Orchestra.

6 CHRISTOFFER The FRSO has two Honorary Conductors: Jukka-Pekka Saraste and SUNDQVIST Sakari Oramo. The Radio Orchestra of ten players Christoffer Sundqvist received his diplo- founded in 1927 grew to symphony or- ma from the Sibelius Academy in 2002, chestra strength in the 1960s. Its pre- as a pupil of Anna-Maija Korsimaa, be- vious Chief Conductors have been fore continuing with François Benda in Toivo Haapanen, Nils-Eric Fougstedt, Basel. In 2002 he shared the first pri- Paavo Berglund, Okko Kamu, Leif ze in the Crusell Clarinet Competition. Segerstam, Jukka-Pekka Saraste and Two years later he made his debut with Sakari Oramo. the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. The latest contemporary music is He has been the soloist with almost a major item in the repertoire of the all the professional Finnish orchest- FRSO, which each year premieres a ras and abroad with the Gothenburg number of yle commissions. Another Symphony, the Basel Symphony and of the orchestra’s tasks is to record all the St Christopher Chamber Orchestra Finnish orchestral music for the yle ar- in Lithuania. He has premiered the chive. During the 2012/2013 season it Clarinet Concertos by Markus Fagerudd will premiere six works commissioned and Sebastian Fagerlund and, with by yle. FRSO principal viola Tommi Aalto, the The FRSO has recorded works by Concerto for Clarinet and Viola by Aulis Eötvös, Nielsen, Hakola, Lindberg, Sallinen. Also a keen chamber musici- Saariaho, Sallinen, Kaipainen, Kokkonen an, he has premiered numerous cham- and others, and the debut disc of the ber works by Finnish composers and opera Aslak Hetta by Armas Launis. Its appeared with many distinguished en- discs have reaped some major distinc- sembles and musicians. tions, such as the BBC Music Magazine Christoffer Sundqvist has been prin- Award and the Académie Charles Cros cipal clarinet in the FRSO since 2005. Award. The disc of the Sibelius and Lindberg Violin Concertos (Sony BMG) with Lisa Batiashvili as the soloist re- THE FINNISH RADIO ceived the MIDEM Classical Award SYMPHONY in 2008, in which year the New York Times chose the other Lindberg disc as ORCHESTRA its Record of the Year. The FRSO regularly tours to all parts The Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra of the world. During the 2012/2013 (FRSO) is the orchestra of the Finnish season it will be heading for Eastern Broadcasting Company (yle). Its missi- Finland and Southern Europe. on is to produce and promote Finnish All the FRSO concerts both in Finland musical culture. Its Chief Conductor as and abroad are broadcast, usually live, of autumn 2013 will be Hannu Lintu, on yle Radio 1. They can also be heard following a season (2012/2013) as the and watched with excellent live stream orchestra’s Principal Guest Conductor. quality on the FRSO website (yle.fi/rso). 7