Olli Mustonen's music often explores Finnish heritage, finding universal messages within it, and is frequently composed with specific musicians, close colleagues, and friends in mind.
Cultural Impact
Olli Mustonen's 'Heavenly Lights' draws its theme from Finnish folklore, specifically a legend from the Kalevala, the Finnish national epic, about the North capturing the Sun and Moon.
Performer Biography
Nicolas Altstaedt, the cellist on this album, took over the Lockenhaus Chamber Music Festival from its founder Gidon Kremer in 2011.
Composition History
Zoltán Kodály's Sonata for cello and piano, Op. 4, was originally a three-movement work premiered in Paris with Béla Bartók on piano, but Kodály later removed the first movement.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Zoltán Kodály, the composer of the Cello Sonata and Sonatina on this album, was greatly influenced by Hungarian folk music, which he collected and studied from the early 20th century.
Composition History
Olli Mustonen's 'Heavenly Lights' was originally composed in 2016 for tenor, cello, and piano, and was premiered by Mustonen himself with tenor Ian Bostridge and cellist Steven Isserlis.
Recording & Production
This album was recorded at the Pfarrkirche Lockenhaus in Austria, a location associated with the Lockenhaus Chamber Music Festival.
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