FINNISH RSO A.O.

Österbotten (in het Zweeds) of Pohjanmaa (in het Fins) is de naam van een streek aan de westkust van Finland. In de romantisch-nationalistische muziek van Finse componist Leevi Madetoja is de invloed van de Ostrobotnische folklore sterk vertegenwoordigd. Het melancholische Finse karakter, hij was leerling van Sibelius, is aanwezig in beide symfonieën. Bijzonder wordt het in de combinatie met de verfijnde Franse klanken opgedaan in zijn periode bij d'Indy. De balletsuite Okon Fuoko vertelt het verhaal van een Japanse poppenmaker met dito klankkleuren. Het Helsinki Philharmonisch Orkest (ontstaan in 1882) speelt gedreven onder John Storgards die sinds 2008 hier de scepter zwaait.


Madetoja: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 3 & Okon Fuoko Suite
Recorded in the Helsinki Music Center, April 2013
Madetoja:
Symphony No. 1 in F major, Op. 29
Symphony No. 3 in A major, Op. 55
Suite No. 1 from 'Okon Fuoko', Op. 58
Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, John Storgårds

This new release completes Ondine’s two-disc survey of Madetoja’s symphonies. Considered one of Sibelius’ finest contemporaries in Finnish orchestral music, Madetoja merges the landscape and folk songs of his native province of Ostrobothnia with a French elegance (Symphony No. 3) to create a unique voice.

John Storgårds and the Helsinki PO are widely celebrated both in live performance and recordings. Their release of Rautavaara’s Cello Concerto No. 2 (ODE 1178-2) was given the 2012 Contemporary recording prize at the 2012 Gramophone awards and the previous release in this series (Symphony No. 2) was described as being conducted with ‘sharp insight and unfaltering authority. Under Storgårds’ baton the impeccably prepared Helsinki Philharmonic exhibits their commitment to the music.’ (MusicWeb) with BBC Music Magazine awarding 4 stars for a ‘vividly performed’ recording.

This release includes the orchestral suite from the ballet pantomime Okon Fuoko. The work has clear affinities to Ravel and Prokofiev and reveals Madetoja’s modernism as a composer in the early 20th century.