RESOUNDING ECHOES: From August 2022, Robert McCarney's regular series features little-known twentieth century classical composers.
Helsinki-born Finnish conductor John Storgårds turned sixty just a few days ago. He began to become known outside of Finland in about 2010, initially with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra in the UK and then with the Ottawa-based National Arts Centre Orchestra in Canada. Two years ago Storgårds became chief conductor of the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, but he has also stayed loyal to his very first orchestra, the Lapland Chamber Orchestra, based at the Korundi House of Culture in the northern Finnish city of Rovaniemi and founded in 1972. He has been artistic director of this Finnish group since 1996.
John Storgårds. Photo © 2015 Marco Borggreve
In just over two weeks from now, at 7pm on Thursday 7 November 2024, Storgårds and the Lapland Chamber Orchestra will present an interesting concert at their Rovaniemi base. Norwegian pianist Håvard Gimse will join them for the chamber arrangement by Mordecai Rechtman of Edvard Grieg's Piano Concerto in A minor. Also on the programme will be two J S Bach preludes arranged by Peter Maxwell Davies.
The concert will also include two Finnish first performances. The miniature tone poem Red Leaves (1991) by British composer and pianist John McCabe (1939-2015) was commissioned by the European Community Chamber Orchestra with funds from the Arts Council of Great Britain and the 1991 Istanbul Festival, where it was first performed. McCabe's inspiration for this piece was an Autumn journey through New England, where the Fall leaf colours were especially beautiful. It is scored for strings with pairs of oboes and horns, and McCabe stated that he alludes to both American composers such as Barber and Copland and also to the European tradition - Delius and Szymanowski in particular.
John McCabe. Photo © 1994 John Scott
The other first performance in Finland will be Eine kleine Herbsmusik ('A little autumn music') for eleven instruments (1995) by Polish composer and clarinettist Paweł Mykietyn (born 1971). This was a commission from the Warsaw Autumn Festival. Mykietyn founded and plays clarinet in the ensemble 'Nonstrom' which specialises in performing contemporary music. He also works regularly with Polish theatre director Krzysztof Warlikowski.
Paweł Mykietyn. Photo © Albert Zawada
The venue, Korundi House of Culture, has an interesting history as a mail truck depot which survived World War II. Now, as its website explains, it 'conveys its message through art' and 'is the cornerstone of culture in Lapland'.
Korundi House of Culture in Rovaniemi, Finland
Providing a space for people and the arts in Rovaniemi, it is home to both Rovaniemi Art Museum and the Lapland Chamber Orchestra.
Further information: korundi.fi
Posted 23 October 2024 by Keith Bramich