This album was recorded in the Church of the Cross in Lahti, Finland, a church designed by Alvar Aalto and completed in 1978, known for its exceptional acoustics.
Performer Biography
Osmo Vänskä, the conductor, began his career as a respected clarinetist in the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra before winning the 1982 Besançon International Young Conductor's Competition.
Historical Context
Hymns have accompanied the Finnish people from birth to death, with children traditionally learning the most important ones by heart in school and for confirmation.
Compositional Technique
The arrangements on this album transform hymns into contemporary orchestral music, ranging from traditional chorale harmonizations to chorale fantasies that build independent compositions around the hymn melodies.
Cultural Impact
The hymn "Jumala ompi linnamme" (A Mighty Fortress Is Our God) has become a national ritual in Finland, sung when Turku declares Christmas peace, evoking the taste of rice porridge and raisin soup.
Performer Biography
The Lahti Symphony Orchestra, under its chief conductor Osmo Vänskä, has become one of the most notable orchestras in the Nordic countries, receiving awards for its recordings.
Cultural Impact
Hymns have been an integral part of Finnish life, sung during everyday tasks like working in the cowshed or forest, knitting socks, or mending shoes.
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