Nordic Highlights 2/2019

Highlights is our newsletter focusing on classical and contemporary music from the Nordic countries. You can download the most recent Highlights and find here in-depth material of music presented in it.

Focus on Esa Pietilä

Read more about the composer 
on www.fennicagehrman.fi
on Pietilä's home page

See sample pages of the scores
Three Strides of Light, for piano solo
Graffiti play, for jazz trio and chamber orchestra

 

 

 

Doc. Mus. Olli-Pekka Tuomisalo’s anthology Finnish Favourites for the Saxophone is a compendium of works written for saxophone and piano in Finland from the 1930s to the 1950s. Almost all of the works included are original works for saxophone, but a few arrangements written by legendary saxophone virtuoso Josef Kaartinen in the 1930s are also included. All works are published now for the first time. The works range from basic level examination standard to challenging institute standard, some perhaps even requiring a performer of professional calibre.  Buy now

Works in this collection:
Vilho Luolajan-Mikkola: Elokuisessa Helsingissä / Helsinki in August
Eero Hyvärinen: Elegia / Elegy
Alvar Kosonen: Saksofonirapsodia / Saxophone Rhapsody
Harry Bergström: Pastorale
Alexander Wittenberg: Poulette
Yrjö Gunaropulos: Moottoriveneidylli / Speedboat Idyll
George de Godzinsky: Inspiration (English Waltz)
Tarmo Huovinen: Kevätserenadi / Spring Serenade
Josef Kaartinen: Dreaming
Matti Rajula: Sirkuspellen tanssi / Dance of a Circus Clown
Holger Sihvola: Liikettä kalossiin / Move Your Boots
Oskar Merikanto, sov./arr. Josef Kaartinen: Valse lente
Jean Sibelius, sov./arr. Josef Kaartinen: Nocturne Op. 51 No. 3
Armas Järnefelt, transkr. Josef Kaartinen: Berceuse
Ilmari Hannikainen, sov./arr. Josef Kaartinen: Miksi laulat lintuseni /Why Do You Sing, My Little Bird?

Elämänkuvat (Pictures of Life) by Olli Kortekangas

The church opera Elämänkuvat (Pictures of Life) by Olli Kortekangas is to be premiered at the Korsholm Music Festival on 1 August 2019. It will be performed by the Seinäjoki and Vaasa City Orchestras, Vaasa Opera Choir and Children’s Choir, and two soloists: soprano Päivi Nisula and baritone Waltteri Torikka. The conductor will be Anna-Maria Helsing and the stage director is Ville Saukkonen. The libretto is by Pia Perkiö and the opera was commissioned by the Finnish Cultural Foundation.
Lasting about one hour, the opera follows the stories of two characters side by side: a 16th-century Painter and present-day Mariia. It will be performed in the medieval Isokyrö Church and was inspired by the paintings on its walls.

Read more at Korsholm Music Festival