Release Date: 27 November 2011
Label: Bis / BIS Records
Packaging Type: Jewel Case
No of Units: 1
Barcode: 7318590018477
Genres: Classical
Composer/Series: Kuusisto
Description
Ilkka Kuusisto began his career as a jazz pianist at the age of 15, and has since been active in a number of fields, including the theatre, as an organist, a choral conductor and as chief executive of the Finnish National Opera. As a composer he is highly eclectic. Having composed several operas, Kuusisto was invited by the conductor Osmo Vanska to write a symphony for the Lahti Symphony Orchestra - a work which opens this disc. For his Concertino improvvisando the composer turned to his son, the violinist Pekka Kuusisto, for advice, who in turn suggested a work which included plenty of scope for improvisation. Closing the programme is a cantata for baritone and orchestra performed by the illustrious Jorma Hynninen. The text (in Finnish) juxtaposes the Bible, the Kalevala and Schopenhauer - but the score goes even further in its generous inclusion of different genres, with pride of place given to an accordion playing popular dance rhythms. Conducting the Lahti SO in these scores is another Kuusisto: Jaakko Kuusisto, who himself is an acclaimed violinist, as well as a conductor and composer in his own right.
Tracklisting
Ruby Hughes; Jonas Nordberg; Mime Yamahiro Brinkmann
Anne Sofie von Otter; Salon Orchestra of the Komische Oper Berlin; Adam Benzwi
Alina Ibragimova; Cedric Tiberghien
Malin Bystrom, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra; Thomas Sondergard
Masaaki Suzuki
Franz Halasz
CLARE HAMMOND
Malmo So
The Tallis Scholars; Peter Phillips
Shem Guibbory; Steve Reich Ensemble; George Manahan
Gidon Kremer; Geneva Lewis; Andrei Pushkarev; Kremerata Baltica
Richard Cook, St Edmundsbury Cathedral Choir, Claudia Grinnell
Mvsica Perdvta
Iker Munduate
Gunta Smirnova, Mikayel Balyan
Young Artists of the Rome Chamber Music Festival/Flavio Emilio Scogna
