Aho, K.: Kysymysten Kirja / Viola Concerto / Symphony No. 14, "Rituaaleja" (Rituals)

Featuring

John Storgårds
Monica Groop
Anna Kreetta Gribajcevic
Herman Rechberger
Jukka Koski
Lapland Chamber Orchestra

Kalevi Aho

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Composition History

The first piece on the album, Kysymysten kirja (The Book of Questions), is a song cycle based on the posthumously published collection of questions by Chilean Nobel laureate poet Pablo Neruda.

Composer Biography

Kalevi Aho, one of Finland's leading contemporary composers, began studying violin and composing at age ten.

Recording & Production

The total length of the concert was limited to under 80 minutes to fit on a single CD, which influenced the duration of the Viola Concerto.

Composition History

The works on this album were all composed for and premiered at a single major concert by John Storgårds and the Chamber Orchestra of Lapland in Rovaniemi on November 27, 2007.

Performer Biography

Monica Groop, the mezzo-soprano on this album, has performed with many of the world's foremost opera companies and orchestras and is known for her musically adventurous repertoire.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Composer Kalevi Aho intended all the works on this album to form a 'great metasymphony' when played together, while also being suitable for individual performance.

Compositional Technique

Kalevi Aho's Symphony No. 14, 'Rituaaleja' ('Rituals'), prominently features non-Western percussion instruments like the darabuka (an Arabian goblet drum) and djembe (an African hand drum).