Klami, U.: Kalevala Suite / Aurora borealis / Cheremis Fantasia

Featuring

John Storgårds
Samuli Peltonen
Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra
Uuno Klami

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Performer Biography

Samuli Peltonen, the cellist on this recording, won the first International Krzysztof Penderecki Cello Competition in Kraków in 2008 and plays a cello made by Giovanni Grancino in 1698.

Composition History

The Cheremissian Fantasy for cello and orchestra by Uuno Klami was inspired by two folk tunes from the Cheremis people, provided by Finno-Ugric folk music scholar A.O. Väisänen.

Performer Biography

The Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, the oldest professional symphony orchestra in the Nordic countries, was founded in 1882 and is well-known for its tradition of performing Sibelius.

Critical Reception

At its 1948 premiere, Uuno Klami's orchestral fantasy Revontulet (Northern Lights) disappointed some critics who expected more illustrative music, but Klami considered it his best work.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Uuno Klami, a Finnish composer, was known for his cosmopolitan approach, incorporating diverse elements like Spanish folk music, jazz, and Chinese pentatonic melodies into his early works.

Composer Biography

Uuno Klami, one of Finland's most original composers, was born into a family of merchants and seafarers, which gave him a broad-minded worldview despite his humble origins.

Compositional Technique

Uuno Klami's Kalevala Suite is described as an 'orchestral fresco' that depicts the creation of the earth and nature, rather than focusing on specific characters from the Finnish national epic.