Sandström at 70

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HIGHLIGHTS

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More films There are new films available on Gehrmans YouTube channel. See Lisa Larsson in the premiere of the new soprano version of Rolf Martinsson´s Orchestral Songs on Poems by Emily Dickinson. Listen to Karin Dornbusch in the premiere of Benjamin Staern´s clarinet concerto Worried Souls, or watch the com-poser portrait of Albert Schnelzer recorded during the Oxford Lieder Festival last autumn. You will find these three new films and many more at www.youtube.se/gehrmans.

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nEWSLET TEr FroM GEHrMAnS MUSiKFÖrLAG & FEnnicA GEHrMAn

Sound samples , video clips and other material are available at

www.gehrmans.se/highlights www.fennicagehrman.fi/highlightscover photo: Finnish national opera/Tom röllich (Puhdistus), Eva rudling (Sven-david Sandström), Marco Borggreve (Håkan Hardenberger) Editors: Henna Salmela and Kristina FryklöfTranslations: Susan Sinisalo and robert carrolldesign: Göran LindiSSn 1239-6850Printed in Sweden by TMG Sthlm, Bromma 2012

Martinsson’s Airy Flight on tourHåkan Hardenberger is including Rolf Martins-son’s Airy Flight for trumpet and strings on his tour with the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields in March. All in all, there will be nine performances in Finland, Sweden and Denmark, including the world premiere in Helsinki Music Centre on 6 March. The tour will be rounded off with a con-cert at Cadogan Hall, London (see music.se). Airy Flight is a bossa nova and also Martinsson’s gift for Hardenberger on his 50th birthday.

Lars Karlsson commission for RovaniemiThe Lapland Chamber Orchestra has commis-sioned Lars Karlsson to write a song cycle that is to be performed by Gabriel Suovanen in Rovaniemi on 26 April. Entitled Sju sånger till text av Pär Lagerkvist (Seven Songs to text by Pär Lagerkvist), it travels from the anguish of the first movement to the transfiguration and light of the last. The words are taken from some of the most famous poems by Nobel Prize-winner Lagerkvist and reflect his life-long spiritual struggle with the major issues of existence.

Record year for Kalevi AhoThe present year looks like being a record one for Kalevi Aho, with premieres of no fewer than six orchestral works. Five of these are concertos, the first of which, for French horn, was heard in Lappeenranta in January. This will be followed this spring by the concerto for trombone (the Hague Philharmonic, sol. Jorgen van Rijen on 2 March), trumpet (the Antwerp Philharmonic, sol. Alain De Rudder on 30 March) and percussion (the London Philharmonic, sol. Colin Currie on 18 April). Later in the year there will be numerous other performances around the world; a list of these can be found on the Highlights page of the Fennica Gehrman website. BIS Records is also releasing several Aho discs. A recording of the Chamber Symphonies and a CD of chamber music are in the pipeline.

New commissionsThe Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra is com-missioning two new song cycles for the 2013-2014 season. Albert Schnelzer will compose a work for soprano Susanna Andersson scheduled to be pre-miered in the autumn 2013 and Benjamin Staern will set poems by Karin Boye for alto Anna Larsson for premiere in 2014. The Boye Songs will include Staern’s Grammy awarded The Night s Deep Violon cello – here adapted from chamber ensemble to orchestra. Also the Malmö Symphony Orchestra and Musik i Syd have jointly commissioned a work by Staern, a Concerto for Orchestra to be premiered in May 2013.

9th Piano Concerto by HeiniöThe series of piano concertos by Mikko Heiniö continues with the premiere of his ninth, Nonno, at the Tampere Biennale on 21 April. Composed for the UMO Jazz Orchestra and pianist Kirmo Lintinen, it is scored for rein-forced piano and big band and is the latest addition to Heiniö’s series of exciting concerto hybrids. One typi-cal feature of these is their unusual line-ups. Ph

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Notabene Productions, in cooperation with Musik i Syd and the Swedish Embassy in London, invites concertgoers to a festival with Swedish music in Cadogan Hall 10-12 May. At music.se one can hear, among other works, the premiere of Albert Schnelzer’s Violin Concerto – Coupled Airs, songs by Wilhelm Stenhammar, Dag Wirén’s Serenade for Strings and Rolf Martinsson’s Airy Flight. More information on www.music.se

P R E M I E R E SSpring 2012

TOBIAS BROSTRÖMLa Dansehelsingborg So, cond. Andrew Manze16.2. Helsingborg, Sweden

BENJAMIN STAERNWorried Souls – Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestranorrköping So, cond. Stefan Solyom, sol. karin Dornbusch16.2. Norrköping, Sweden

OllI KORTEKANgASToisin ilona Jokinen, soprano, Asta onnila, piano22.2. Helsinki, Finland

KAlEvI AhOConcerto for Trombone and Orchestraresidentie orkest Den haag, cond. Santtu-Matias rouvali, sol. Jorgen van rijen2.3. Hague, Netherlands

Quasi una fantasia, for horn and organPetri komulainen, horn, Jan Lehtola, organ11.3. Helsinki, Finland

Concerto for Trumpet and Symphonic Wind Band DeFilharmonie Antwerpen, cond. Martyn Brabbins, sol. Alain De rudder30.3. Antwerp, Netherlands

Sieidi, Concerto for Percussion and OrchestraLondon Pho, cond. osmo vänskä, sol. colin currie 18.4. London, UK

ROlF MARTINSSONAiry FlightAcademy of St-Martin-in-the-Fields, sol. håkan hardenberger, trumpet6.3. Helsinki, Finland

Lukaspassionen (St. Luke Passion)canzonetta, uppsala cathedral Singers, cond. kettil Skarby, sol. Matilda Paulsson, calle Lindén31.3. Uppsala, Sweden

MIKKO hEINIÖMaria Suite, for mixed choirkey ensemble, cond. teemu honkanen24.3. Parainen, Finland

Nonno (Piano Concerto No. 9)uMo Jazz orchestra, cond. kari heinilä, sol. kirmo Lintinen21.4. Tampere, Finland

JYRI REINvEREPurge (Puhdistus), operaFinnish national opera, cond. Paul Mägi, sol. helena Juntunen, Johanna rusanen-kartano, Jaakko kortekangas, niina keitel etc.20.4. Helsinki, Finland

lARS KARlSSONSju sånger till text av Pär Lagerkvist (Seven Songs) the chamber orchestra of Lapland cond. John Storgårds, sol. gabriel Suovanen26.4. Rovaniemi, Finland

AlBERT SChNElZERViolin Concerto – Coupled Airsorchestra of the Swan, cond. David curtis, sol. hugo ticciati10.5. London, UK

SvEN-DAvID SANDSTRÖMDansaLena Willemark, soprano and violin, cecilia Zilliacus, violin14.5. Stockholm, Sweden

Haglund’s Cello Concerto on CDBIS Records is recording Tommie Haglund’s cello concerto Flaminis Aura. The Norwegian cellist Ernst Simon Glaser is the soloist together with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra under the baton of David Afkham. Glaser is also giving two live performances of the concerto in the Gothenburg Concert Hall in September.

All-Swedish concert in New YorkJohn-Edward Kelly and Arcos Orchestra will give an all-Swedish concert at New York’s Temple Emanu-El on 14 March. The program entitled “Sensational Sweden” will include the US pre-mieres of Jan Sandström’s Acintyas and Miklos Maros’ Sinfonia Concertante, along with Ein schneller Blick...ein kurzes Aufscheinen by Arcos’ Composer-in-Residence Anders Eliasson.

New St. Luke Passion Congregations and churches in no less than 13 episcopates have jointly commissioned a new Swedish passion with texts taken from the Gospel of St. Luke mixed with newly written texts by Göran Greider, and music by Rolf Martinsson. The work is approx. 90 minutes and is set for mixed choir, two vocal soloists and a small instrumental ensemble: flute, oboe, cello and organ (with ad lib double bass and drum). Parallel premieres in all 13 episcopates will take place during the Easter week. This unique commission was initiated by Gehrmans Musikförlag and the educational association Sensus.

Pingoud & Melartin: revised materialsA new score edited by Jani Kyllönen is now available of the Second Piano Concerto by Ernest Pingoud. The original score of 1921 was lost and all that remained was Pingoud’s rewritten score of the first movement. That of the other movements has been compiled from the orchestral parts. The Lahti Symphony Orchestra revived the concerto at a concert in December 2011, when the soloist was Roope Gröndahl.

The Erkki Melartin Society organised the clean-copying of the Symphony No. 3 by Erkki Melartin, as a result of which new, edited orch-e s tral parts are now available. The Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra under Sakari Oramo is to use the new material for the first time for a performance at the Helsinki Music Centre on 27 April.

Fennica Gehrman takes on Ilkka Kuusisto’s operasFennica Gehrman is to act as agent for the 17 operas by Ilkka Kuusisto, their hire and licensing. Kuusisto (b. 1933), who has left his mark on many fields of music in Finland, is a prolific com-poser. His popular operas include The Rib of a Man, Miss Julie, Come back, Gabriel, Prisoner of Freedom, A Woman like Frozen Champagne and Taipaleenjoki.

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are mainly German and Russian. “It’s both odd and right,” he laughs, “that an opera saying how dangerous it is to live next door to Russia should follow the traditions of Russian opera.”

As is so often the case in operas, the lead-ing character in Purge is a suffering woman

and her development. The leading role is so immense that it is divided in two. The young and the old Aliide are sung by two different sopranos. “They both have huge parts to play – a life story spanning de-cades,” says Tiina Puumalainen the stage director.

The fact that the two Aliides are often on stage at the same

time is, she feels, extremely interesting. Old and young view the same situation via their own un-derstanding. They can see each other, their past and future selves, but they cannot change themselves. The irrevocability of history thus becomes con-crete; the fact that whatever happened has to be accepted as it is.

People in crisis“The characters in Purge are people in crisis. They all have to make their choices without knowing what the future will bring, and all the options are difficult or dangerous,” says Puumalainen. “The libretto has no mercy; it exposes human weak-nesses and smallness. But on the other hand it makes us understand very clearly just how difficult making the right decision is.”

War and oppression, as described in Purge, drive people to extreme acts. “They seek a little happiness and big boots trample it underfoot. The greatest love leads to the worst iniquities.”

The relationship between the young Zara and the old Aliide also fascinates Tiina Puumalainen.

“Both have found themselves in difficult, virtu-ally impossible situations. Zara has become the victim of modern trafficking, Aliide of the most

THE 1930s , West Estonia. Two sisters fall in love with the same man, but he has eyes for only one of them. War breaks out and the country is occupied. The unloved sister grasps at the oppor-tunity; she seeks revenge and betrays those closest to her. Betrays her country.

Decades later, Estonia is once again free. A young woman ap-pears at the aging Aliide’s door. With her comes the past.

This is the setup in Sofi Oksanen’s Purge. The private merges with the public, the fate of the small human being with that of the nation. Purge offers no easy answers, Aliide is no mere traitor, nor is she merely a victim. It is easy to see her as a wrong-doer, but just as easy to understand why she did what she did. There were few alternatives.

Purge, a work of sweeping emotions and vast themes, lent itself readily to the language of opera, says librettist-composer Jüri Reinvere. The main characters and events are the same as those in the novel, but the chronology and weighting differ.

“I am aware that Sofi had in mind the powerful theme of the female status,” says Reinvere. “Whereas my emphasis is on the way the Estonians have come to terms with the past. I argue that the only way to leave the past behind is to look it straight in the eye.”

Jüri Reinvere was born in Estonia but moved away a couple of decades ago, first to Finland. He has also lived for a while in Sweden, Poland, Berlin and elsewhere.

“Purge has shocked Estonia in many ways. People there are used to speaking about the past in a certain way. But Oksanen does not repeat the big and little lies the Estonians have been telling themselves.”

A split leading rolePurge is, says the composer, a traditional opera. “I have not tried to set any records for modern experimentation.” The models for the dramaturgy

The eagerly-awaited spring premiere Purge (Puhdistus) brings to the Finnish National Opera the story of the highly-acclaimed novel of the same name by Sofi Oksanen. An old woman faces her past and in doing so places the recent history of a whole nation open to inspection.

Women in the maelstrom of history

ruthless era in a nightmarish regime. Life’s complexity is clearly visible in their encounter. The consequences of our actions affect many people for decades to come, and some crimes never grow old.”

Surging masses and intimate momentsBoth the composer and the stage director are excited about the potential afforded by the big National Opera stage. “The stage technology is the best in Finland and we can be confident that the plans will work in the best possible way,” Puumalainen enthuses.

The choir, which transforms from wedding guests in the young Estonia to Soviet soldiers, forest brothers, interrogators and victims of sex trafficking, occupies a big role in the opera. Puumalainen reports that in creating the visual image she sought ideas from various sources, from Soviet propaganda to mass movements in the present day.

“We’re building a story that takes in both in-timate little moments and surging masses that fill the whole stage. The story shifts backwards and forwards in time and even strays far from its point of departure, but everything revolves around Aliide, in her memories and thoughts. She is surrounded by the might of a major power, by war and destruction, in which people have to make their choices.”

Purge is Jüri Reinvere’s first full-length opera. It also marks his debut at the Finnish National Opera. Did he find such a challenge terrifying?

“Terrifying? Well. After all, one of the themes of Purge is that you must not give way to fear. If you do, you will become what you fear.”

J A R M o PA P I N N I E M IThis article was originally published in Oopperasanomat 1/2012

Read Reinvere’s blog at http://puhdistusopera.wordpress.com

Jüri Reinvere

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Radio Choir and four vocal soloists in the pre-miere of Sandström’s Requiem. Here, too, one can find historical references: the traditional Italian text and a division of the work that corresponds to Verdi’s. It is palpably vocal, with a lot of accompa-niment in the orchestra, big a cappella movements and different ensembles among the soloists.

– I use two high sopranos and a baritone and a bass, who symbolise heaven’s eternal light and earth’s darkness, respectively. It has turned out to be a powerful work and really beautiful.

2014 will see the premiere of the monumental St. Matthew Passion at the hands of conductor Stefan Parkman. It is a gigantic work for nine solo-ists, choir and orchestra. It should be noted that Sandström has divided up the Evangelist’s role into four soloists, and has thereby created a more multi-facetted character. So far five performances are planned in Germany, Sweden and the USA.

Sandström today But now Sandström feels that he has had enough of sacred music for a while. It is time to seek new challenges.

– Above all, I want to write more chamber music. Preferably for strings that have a sound and an emotional quality that suits me. First in line is a commission for the Stenhammar Quartet.

In May Dansa for voice and violin will have its premiere at the Stockholm Concert Hall, composed for singer and folk musician Lena Willemark and violinist Cecilia Zilliacus.

– The work is based on a text by Maria Wine that has been a great inspiration for me, and around which I have tried to create a kind of mysticism. It is almost a little dramatic scene.

How then does Sven-David Sandström sound in the year 2012?

– My style has changed quite radically, from the highly structured formalistic music of the 1970s, when I built up large layers and sound phenomena, till today, when I write music that is quite easily accessible, with a palpable sentiment, almost sweet

at times, naïve and non-academic. The music can have a powerful drive, be rhythmically vigorous and forceful, and then go into a nostalgic world, full of sentimentality that I love to create.

A restless soulSandström acknowledges that he is afraid to write music that is boring. One way of avoiding this is to divide up the work into shorter snippets, or Pieces as he calls them. Five Pieces for String Trio (2008), Seven Pieces for String Quartet (2010), and Six Pieces for Piano Trio and Orchestra (2010) are three relatively new works which he finds very enjoyable.

– I want to surprise the listener. I want people to enter into different states without knowing exactly where they are, and when they feel secure they should be hurled onwards. No doubt this has to do with the fact that I am a rather anxious and restless soul.

This restlessness also makes Sandström enor-mously creative. Already the day after the large-scale St. Matthew Passion was finished he started on a new piece: Four Numbers, a counterpart to Beethoven’s Fourth, on commission from the Norr-land Opera Symphony Orchestra. Other works in the pipeline include a Flute Concerto for Tobias Carron, a piece for solo violin and string orchestra for Music Vitae, and a new opera.

But Sandström also has a dream project in progress. Three full evenings with six singers and a symphony orchestra, in which singers from differ-ent worlds meet and are paired together, a classical singer with a pop/musical singer.

– But I’m not going to do what people expect. There won’t be any musicals. It is the confronta-tions and encounters between different spheres of interest that stimulate me. I have always wanted to do what is different, says Sven-David Sandström.

K R I S T I N A F R Y K Lö F

Visit Sandström’s website at www.svendavidsandstrom.com

IT WAS WHEn Sandström in 2008 came back to Sweden after 10 years as professor in com-position at the University of Indiana Bloomington, USA, that he made the decision to realise his dream to – like Bach – compose for all the feast days of the ecclesiastical year. The result is about 75 works, mainly a cappella movements, but also cantatas with organ, and purely instrumental works. In addition to these, over the last few years he has composed a number of large-scale vocal works with religious content: the passion The Word, The Christmas Oratorio, Magnificat , Messiah, the opera Bathsheba, Missa Brevis, Requiem and The St. Matthew Passion.

religious mysticism and historical referencesWhy then has Sandström composed so much sacred music?

– I wanted to explore what religiousness meant to me. I have vivid memories of the texts ever since my childhood as dreams, fantasies and desires, and as I call it, religious mysticism. I find it very inspiring.

Sven-David Sandström admits that as the years go by it has become increasingly difficult to find the purely musical inspiration, and then the text has been very helpful.

– I often say that I translate the text into music. Hearing the text is not always what is most impor-tant, it is my interpretation of it that is essential.

He has also written six motets to the same texts as J. S. Bach used, likewise in the cantata Wachet auf and his just recently finished St. Matthew Passion. – I feel a kinship with the past when working with these texts, and they also convey a fascinating per-spective of experience for the listener. Imagine that it sounds like this today when someone composes music to texts that Bach set 250 years ago! I don’t associate to Bach musically in any way, but on the other hand it does sound a little like Bach because it is the same text.

Next year Gustaf Sjökvist will conduct the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Swedish

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There is a manuscript on our table: 360 handwritten pages, 77 movements, 2 hours and 15 minutes of music. It is the final work in Sven-David Sandström’s monumental project devoted to sacred music, a St. Matthew Passion. ”But now I’m done with the sacred works, I want to and must move on, otherwise I will become of depicter of piety”, says Sandström, who turns 70 in October.

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MiKKo HeiniöMaria Suite (2011)SATB a cappellathis new heiniö work commissioned by the

key ensemble looks at the virgin Mary from fascinatingly dif-ferent perspectives. the first two of the five songs are about the Black Madonna. the third alludes to Luther and has the hymn Vom Himmel hoch embedded in it. the fourth is based on a 13th century Stabat mater hymn, and the last draws on orthodox motifs. Fg iSMn 9790550111059

PeKKA JALKAnenSvjatyj Bozhe (holy god) (2006) SATB a cappella, Dur: 5’this nostalgic, archaic-sounding work stylises

its ethnic materials – the world of russian bylyny and ingrian laments – in the spirit of orthodox church music. A little poem in church Slavonic grows into a dusky choral fresco that stretches far and deep. Fg iSMn 9790550095366

oLLi KoRTeKAngASthe Way to the Woods (2007) SATB a cappella, Dur: 7’30”

the words of this commission by the uS Syracuse vocal ensemble and robert cowles are by Wendell Berry. kortekangas is tho-roughly familiar with his instrument, having sung in choirs throughout his youth, and knows how to write quality, sonorous music for it. he also has a knack of finding unusually beautiful texts for his works, as demonstrated by this profound poem by Berry. Fg iSMn 9790550095779

SuSAnnA LinDMARKSongs of hope (2010)SSAA a cappella (percussion in the second song)

Susanna Lindmark leads the women’s choir Arctic Light (choir of the year 2010). her pieces often conjure up the atmosphere of northern, cold and barren areas, as in the two Songs of hope; In a Clear Cold Crystal Winter Night and Song of Hope. her own texts have a religious, but also human, undertone. ge 11818

einoJuHAni RAuTAvAARAunsere Liebe (1996/2010)SATB a cappellaSettings of poems by Lassi nummi translated

into german, unsere Liebe is both heart-warming and moving. rautavaara experienced the poems as being extremely personal, acting as a source of inspiration for his music. unsere Liebe is a version for mixed choir of a commission by the hanover girls’ choir called Wenn sich die Welt auftut. the helsinki chamber choir per-formed unsere Liebe in 2010 with nils Schweckendiek conducting. Fg iSMn 9790550110205

KARin ReHnqviSTi varje bit bröd/ the bread in my mouth (2009)SATB a cappella

karin rehnqvist is professor in composition at the royal college of Music in Stockholm. here she has written a playful choral move-ment based on a poem by the famous poet göran Sonnevi, where the cosmos is seen concentrated in a little piece of bread. text in Swedish and english. ge 11905

haya! en sång till dagens glädje/ haya! Song to the Joy of the Day (2009) SATB a cappella, Dur: 4’A powerful piece of music, crackling with energy, for the advanced choir. it is sung in “hayan”, a language that karin rehnqvist in-vented just for this work. the piece also contains a few lines of indian poetry in english. haya! was written for SAtB for the final of the eric ericsson Award 2009, and has subsequently been reworked into a version for double choir. ge 11918

Sven-DAviD SAnDSTRöM hear the voice of the bard (2009)mezzo-soprano, male choir and organ, Dur: 10’text: William Blake. Movements 1 and 3 have

a marked character of growing: from the deep pianissimo of the organ and second bass to the powerful, glaring fortissimo chords. the mezzo part is softer and more melodious and the choral move-ment, which is dominated by the harmonic development, also has sections that are more rhythmically pregnant. ge 11558

FReDRiK SiXTenMagnificat (2009)SATB, brass septet (3 tpt, 3 tbn, 1 tba), organ Dur: 12’

A work in three movements, in which the first gives an energetic expression for the joy of praising. the second movement begins and ends more softly, but also contains a fugato section. the work concludes with a joyful Gloria patri. ge 11498 score, ge 11499 choral score

AgneTA SKöLDveni Sancte Spiritus (2011)SATB, organAgneta Sköld´s works are often written for her

own choirs in västerås cathedral (central Sweden). in this work for mixed chorus and organ based on the text in the medieval Pen-tecost hymn, the music proceeds in a classical, strict texture with melodies reminiscent of gregorian chant. the text is in Latin and Swedish. ge 11972

veLJo ToRMiSnostalgia (eight Favorite estonian Songs) (1985)SATB a cappella

the recently re-issued nostalgia, a set of eight fairly easy and beauti ful folk songs with english translations, is just one example of tormis’s thought-provoking, hypnotic choral expression. the songs represent nostalgic childhood memories of the distant and happy times the composer was fortunate to experience. Fg iSMn 9790550110434

CARL unAnDeR-SCHARin Spiritual exercises – Motet no. 3 (2005)six-part mixed choir a cappella, Dur: 15’

the work can be performed with three groups placed in different quarters in order to exploit the possibilities of the space. the yearn-ing for the Source of Life expressed in the poem by St. John of the cross (1542-1591) is formulated musically in a quiet texture that, however, includes several modes of expression: structures with minimalist features are broken off by contrapuntal passages and declamatory sections. the composer states that “the entire piece should be sung meditatively and with feeling”. ge 11126

Choral Highlights

R E P E R T o I R E T I P S R E V I E W S

Imaginative and amusing HögbergThe most fun on the disc, however, is Högberg‘s highly charged Dancing with Silent Purpose with its manic electronic beat. The Expressive Rage move-ment gives the Aco an opportunity to rock out as Fröst‘s fingers dance across the keys.Limelight Magazine 25.1.

‘dancing with Silent Purpose’, a concerto for clarinet, tape and strings is to my mind a much more interest-ing and entertaining piece. The combination of the hyperactive clarinet writing and quirky use of tape is both imaginative and amusing, and it brings this imaginative showcase of Martin Fröst’s phenomenal talent to a brilliant conclusion.SA-CD.NET December 2011Fredrik Högberg: Dancing with Silent PurposecD: Australian chamber orchestra, cond. richard tognetti, sol. Martin Fröst, clarinet (BiS-SAcD-1863)

nieminen is a lyric and a poet of the contemporary Finnish music scene…He could be compared to a musical aquarellist whose delicately balanced colour palette is pleasing to the ear without being sweet or sentimental…The musicians were clearly inspired by their task and presented an extraordinarily refined musical portrait. Hufvudstadsbladet 16.11.Kai Nieminen: Reflecting Landscapes, Notturno “Uccelli della notte”, In der Winterszeit, etc.trio La rue, 16.11.2011 helsinki, Finland

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A great lyrical experienceThe soprano version is superb for the themes of the cycle of poems: love, nature and life. Lisa Larsson lifts the often simple but existent-ially vital content with lyrical clarity and spiritual fervour. Vestmanlands Läns Tidning 23.1. Rolf Martinsson: Orchestral Songs on Poems by Emily Dickinson (new soprano version) World premiere: västerås and Jönköping Sinfonietta, cond. hannu koivula, sol. Lisa Larsson, soprano, 21.1.2012 västerås, Sweden

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A concerto full of fantasyit was heartening to hear a contemporary work being greeted so warmly – deservedly so. The attention-grabbing opening featured dazzling bravura passages for Fröst. imagine if Gershwin had transcribed The Flight of the Bumblebee for Benny Goodman and you’ll get the idea. The concerto’s five sections are full of fantasy and contrasts, from a passage where Fröst plays a single tone for a minute without a break to a lush romantic melody worthy of Korngold at his Hollywood ripest.Birmingham Post 2.12.Rolf Martinsson: Concert Fantastiqueuk premiere: city of Birmingham So, cond. edward gardner, sol. Martin Fröst, clarinet, 24.11.2011 Birmingham, uk

Inspired reading of Bergman The cantata Bardo Thödol was the main work on the programme…The choir, soloists, narrator and orchestra wove together an experience nothing short of physical out of the subject of the work, the Buddhist transitional state between death and rebirth. rubaiyat was just as full of vitality.Helsingin Sanomat 27.11.Erik Bergman: Bardo Thödol, RubaiyatFinnish radio So, yL Male voice choir, Dominante, etc., cond. Sakari oramo, 25.11.2011 helsinki, Finland (Bergman 100 years)

Mysterious creative driveThese works forge their way straight to the heart with their almost folk song-like approach…Simplicity and creativity that spring from the mysterious depths beneath the surface.Klassik Heute 19.12.Einojuhani Rautavaara: Works for Children’s ChoircD: tapiola choir, cond. Pasi hyökki (ondine oDe 1169-2)

An enchanted horn journeyThe listener could not help but be drawn into Aho’s enchanted world …The mirror-clear reflections in places became almost ritual, shamanistic sequences, only to subside again… in addition to producing a traditional heroic French horn texture, Salminen let her instrument uninhibitedly growl and bellow.Etelä-Saimaa 28.1.Kalevi Aho: Concerto for Horn and OrchestraWorld premiere: Lappeenranta co, cond. tibor Bogányi, sol. Annu Salminen, 26.1.2012 Lappeenranta, Finland

Forgotten quality The Pingoud concerto is a quality work, a cleverly-written concerto that gives the soloist a chance to show off in style.Helsingin Sanomat 10.12.

Ernest Pingoud: Piano Concerto No. 2Lahti So, cond. okko kamu, sol. roope gröndahl, 8.12.2011 Lahti, Finland

Sinfonia del mare – a potential classicWe should not let Gösta nystroem’s symphonies get out of earshot. They are the expressionistic and lyrical alibi of Swedish modernism during the interwar period. Sinfonia del mare, with its undulating swells and the quiet voice part, with Ebba Lindqvist’s poem “The only one”, has the potential to become a classic. Sydsvenska Dagbladet 5.12.Gösta Nystroem: Sinfonia del marecD: Malmö So, cond. christoph könig, sol. Malena ernman, mezzo-soprano (BiS-cD-1682)

Marvellous sounds i cannot recall any Swedish orchestral music that has given me such a strong feeling of floating... After a virtuoso fugal section inspired by the pleading Pink Floyd quote “rearrange me ‘till i’m sane”, it is time for the farewell... An achingly beautiful melancholy song for the cello that, after it finally ceases to play, still seems to continue sounding. Dagens Nyheter 3.12.Albert Schnelzer: Cello Concerto – Crazy Diamond World premiere: gothenburg So, cond. nikolaj Znaider, sol. claes gunnarsson, 1.12.2011 gothenburg, Sweden

Impressive hidden secretThe carefully-considered entity in which the different works joined together in a way that was dramaturgi-cally meaningful made a very great impression at the Koskelin profile concert…The very opening of X’seven for cello already bore witness to an unusually delicate power of expression…All was interpreted with fantastic skill, passion and intensity.Hufvudstadsbladet 19.1.Olli Koskelin: X’seven, Tintinnio, Six Haiku, etc. Mikael helasvuo, flute, Sami Mäkelä, cello, tuomas Mali, piano, 17.1.2011 helsinki, Finland

Meditation and full expressionBroström has a sure way of handling the orchestra, especially when it comes to the possibilities of varying its sound. His music is very inviting thanks to its sophisticated treatment of sonorities. it is also rhythmically alive with a minimalist drive. Helsingborgs Dagblad 8.2.

Broström’s orchestral works is a kaleidoscope for both meditation and full expression.…pronounced rhythmic vitality…ingenious and versatile handling of the orchestra… Sydsvenska Dagbladet 1.2.Tobias Broström: Kaléidoscope – Orchestral works cD: gävle So, cond. Johannes gustavsson, sol. Per tengstrand, piano, karen gomyo, violin, håkan hardenberger, trumpet (SSAcD 1145)

Lisa Larsson in västerås Concert Hall

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c H A M B E r & i n S T r U M E n T A LDAnieL BöRTZ Speglande Medea (Reflecting Medea)for recorder sologe 11976

LáSZLó RoSSA – géZA SZiLvAySonatinifor violin and pianothis publication paves the way for intimate chamber music and recital playing. the melodies of the violin part are taken from the early volumes of the colourstrings violin ABc. violin part Fg iSMn 979-0-55011-102-8piano accompaniment 979-0-55011-103-5

Duettinifor two violins in these miniature duos, the easy first violin part is taken from the A volume of the violin ABc. to aid the child’s reading it appears with child- friendly coloured notation. iSMn 979-0-55011-101-1

eDuARD TuBinComplete Works Volume XXWorks for Violin and Piano

• three Pieces • capriccio no. 1 • Meditation• Ballade• Suite on estonian Dance tunes• Prelude• capriccio no. 2• cock’s Dance

Suite on estonian Dance Pieces (violin solo)ge 11978

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c H o r A LPeLLe oLoFSonHosiannafor SAtB and organ (Swe)ge 11972

KARin ReHnqviSTI varje bit bröd (The Bread in My Mouth) for SAtB a cappella (Swe/eng))text: göran Sonnevi english version: Jonathan Mairge 11905

Giv oss din frid (Give Us Your Peace)for SAtB a cappella (Swe/eng)ge 11902

AgneTA SKöLDVeni Sancte Spiritusfor SAtB and organ (Lat/Swe)ge 11972

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KALevi AHo Solo X for French horn (2010)Marie-Luise neunecker, horn BiS-SAcD-1859

ToBiAS BRoSTRöMPiano Concerto No. 1 “Belle époque”, Transit Underground, Kaléidoscope, Violin Concerto, Lucernaris – Concerto for Trumpet, Live-Electronics and Orchestragävle So, cond. Johannes gustavsson, sol. Per tengstrand, piano, karen gomyo, violin, håkan hardenberger, trumpetSSAcD 1145

einoJuHAni RAuTAvAARACello Concerto No. 2 “Towards the Horizon”, Modificata, Percussion Concerto “Incantations” helsinki Po, cond. John Storgårds, sol. truls Mørk, cello, colin currie, percussionoDe 1178-2

S c o r E SToBiAS BRoSTRöMBuxtehude Remixedfor orchestrage 11308

Piano Concerto No. 1 – Belle époquege 11825ge 11976

Sven-DAviD SAnDSTRöMLullaby for the Newborn Childfor violin and chamber orchestrage 11985

ALBeRT SCHneLZeRCello Concerto – Crazy Diamondge 11827 (version for symphony orchestra)ge 12020 (version for chamber orchestra)

BenJAMin STAeRnCelebrateFanfare for symphony orchestrage 11212