Scenes from Finland Oulu Sinfonia & Rumon Gamba

• Jean Sibelius (1865 - 1957): Suite from Scaramouche, Op. 71:
• 1 Sibelius: Suite from Scaramouche, Op. 71: I. Lento assai 02:58
• 2 Sibelius: Suite from Scaramouche, Op. 71: II. Tempo di Bolero 02:26
• 3 Sibelius: Suite from Scaramouche, Op. 71: III. Tempo di Valse 03:22
• 4 Sibelius: Suite from Scaramouche, Op. 71: IV. Adagio – Allegro 01:38
• 5 Sibelius: Suite from Scaramouche, Op. 71: V. Andantino cantabile 02:18
• 6 Sibelius: Suite from Scaramouche, Op. 71: VI. Tranquillo assai 03:04
• 7 Sibelius: Suite from Scaramouche, Op. 71: VII. Allegro – Poco stretto 01:41
• 8 Sibelius: Suite from Scaramouche, Op. 71: VIII. Coda 02:22
• Selim Palmgren (1878 - 1951): Cinderella Suite:
• 9 Palmgren: Cinderella Suite: I. Alkusoitto (Prelude) 04:06
• 10 Palmgren: Cinderella Suite: II. Musette 02:46
• 11 Palmgren: Cinderella Suite: III. Välisoitto (Intermezzo) 02:07
• 12 Palmgren: Cinderella Suite: IV. Sinipiikojen tanssi (Dance of the Forest Fairies) 01:47
• 13 Palmgren: Cinderella Suite: V. Valssi (Waltz) 02:57
• 14 Palmgren: Cinderella Suite: VI. Välisoitto (Intermezzo) 03:36
• 15 Palmgren: Cinderella Suite: VII. Tanssi pyövelin vuorella (Dance on the Hangman’s Mountain) 02:59
• Einar Englund (1916 - 1999): The White Reindeer Suite:
• 16 Englund: The White Reindeer Suite: I. Alkusoitto (Prelude) 01:37
• 17 Englund: The White Reindeer Suite: II. Tunturi (The Fell) 03:57
• 18 Englund: The White Reindeer Suite: III. Poroajot (The Reindeer Race) 01:28
• 19 Englund: The White Reindeer Suite: IV. Surumarssi (Funeral March) 03:04
• 20 Englund: The White Reindeer Suite: V. Finaali (Finale) 02:52
• Kalervo Tuukkanen (1909 - 1979): Christmas Suite, Op.41:
• 21 Tuukkanen: Christmas Suite, Op.41: I. Johdanto. Paimenet kedolla (Introduction. Shepherds in the Field) 01:13
• 22 Tuukkanen: Christmas Suite, Op.41: II. Enkelten sanoma (A Message from the Angels) 02:02
• 23 Tuukkanen: Christmas Suite, Op.41: III. Rauhan viesti (A Message of Peace) 01:43
• 24 Tuukkanen: Christmas Suite, Op.41: IV. Kehtolaulu seimellä (Lullaby at the Manger) 02:03
• 25 Tuukkanen: Christmas Suite, Op.41: V. Intermezzo. Beetlehemin surmanyönä (The Night of Death in Bethlehem) 01:46
• 26 Tuukkanen: Christmas Suite, Op.41: VI. Paimenten ilo (The Shepherds’ Joy) 02:22
• Total Runtime 01:04:14

Info zu Scenes from Finland

Sibelius’ „Scaramouche“, eine Ballett-Pantomime, die 1912 von seinen Verlegern für ein Theaterstück von Poul Knudsen in Auftrag gegeben wurde. Die Handlung spiegelt das immense Interesse des frühen 20. Jahrhunderts an Clowns und der Commedia dell’arte sowie an erotischem Verlangen, Tod und Makabrem wider – dieselben Phänomene, die auch Strawinskys „Petruschka“ und Schönbergs „Pierrot Lunaire“ hervorbrachten.

Selim Palmgren, ein jüngerer Zeitgenosse von Sibelius, der vor allem als Komponist von Klaviermusik bekannt ist, schrieb auch Musik für das Theater; seine Partitur für das Märchenstück „Tuhkimo ja kuninkaantytär“ (Tuhkimo und die Prinzessin) stammt aus den Jahren 1902–03. Larin-Kyöstis Stück erzählt die Abenteuer einer leidenschaftlichen jungen Frau namens Tuhkimo und verbindet Merkmale der bekannten Aschenputtel-Geschichte mit Elementen aus einer Vielzahl von Volksmärchen und Fabeln.

Einar Englund studierte Komposition bei Palmgren (und später bei Aaron Copland). Seine Filmmusik zu Erik Blombergs Film „Valkoinen peura“ (Das weiße Rentier) aus dem Jahr 1952 wurde besonders gelobt und gewann im Erscheinungsjahr den Hauptpreis für Originalmusik bei den Jussi-Awards (den finnischen Oscars). Kalervo Tuukkanen lehrte drei Jahre lang an der Universität Viipuri, bevor er von 1942 bis 1944 als Kapellmeister in Pori an der finnischen Ostseeküste tätig war. Er war eines der Gründungsmitglieder von „Suomen Säveltäyät“ (dem finnischen Komponistenverband), und seine Komposition „Karhunpyynti“ (Bärenjagd) wurde bei den Kulturolympiaden 1948 in London (wo Finnland eindrucksvoll die Medaillenwertung anführte) mit einer Silbermedaille ausgezeichnet. Die „Joulusarja“ (Weihnachtssuite) stammt aus seiner Partitur von 1953 für eine Inszenierung des Theaterstücks „Die Erzählung des letzten Hirten“ und deckt mit ihren fünf Sätzen die wichtigsten Momente der Weihnachtsgeschichte ab.

Oulu Sinfonia
Rumon Gamba, Dirigent

Oulu Sinfonia
is Finland’s northernmost symphony orchestra, originally founded in 1937 and municipalized in 1961. Present name, Oulu Sinfonia was adopted in 2005. The orchestra has 61 professional full-time musicians.

The repertoire of the Oulu Sinfonia is based on classical season concerts and completed with diverse contents such as opera, cinematic concerts, ethnomusic and jazz concerts as well as concerts for families and children. The orchestra also steps out of its home in various formations, to take its music to many locations around town.

The orchestra’s Chief Conductor since January 2022 has been Rumon Gamba, who took up the post after a long tenure by Johannes Gustavsson (2013–2021). During the past decades, the post of Artistic Director was held by been Urpo Pesonen, Paavo Rautio, Onni Kelo, Rauno Rännäli, Ari Angervo, Peeter Lilje, Arvo Volmer, Dmitri Slobodeniouk and Anna-Maria Helsing. Principal Guest Conductors have been John Storgårds, Susanna Mälkki and Jaakko Kuusisto.

Oulu Sinfonia has made several recordings, including the opera Messenius and Lucia by Olli Kortekangas (the orchestra’s composer-in-residence- from 1997 to 2009) as well as the whole orchestral production by Leevi Madetoja, an album of violin concertos by Uuno Klami and Einar Englund, opera arias by W. A. Mozart, guitar concertos by Kimmo Hakola and Toshio Hosokawa, an album full of rarely recorded music by the Swedish symphonist Ludvig Norman, rock artist Ismo Alanko’s pieces arranged for symphony orchestra and Sininen Pallo -album for children. In August 2023, under the baton of Rumon Gamba, they recorded Overtures From Finland, an album of Finnish overtures and in August 2024, Aili Ikonen & Oulu Sinfonia: Valo, featuring works by Aili Ikonen, also conducted by Rumon Gamba.

Rumon Gamba
British conductor Rumon Gamba, who has served as the Chief Conductor of Oulu Sinfonia since the beginning of 2022, has signed a contract extension with the orchestra. The new contract covers the years 2025–2026, with an option for 2027–2028. Gamba will conduct the orchestra in Oulu for at least eight weeks per year and will be responsible for artistic planning together with the orchestra’s General Manager.

“We are fortunate to continue a highly successful collaboration with Gamba. In recent years, Oulu Sinfonia has seen an influx of new musicians. It has been crucial that an experienced conductor like Rumon Gamba has worked with the orchestra during this inspiring transitional period and is willing to commit to continued collaboration with us,” says General Manager Maija Kuusisto.

Rumon Gamba has had a distinguished career as a guest conductor and chief conductor with several European orchestras, particularly in the Nordic countries. Before joining Oulu Sinfonia, Gamba served as the Chief Conductor of the Norrlandsoperan in Umeå, the Aalborg Symphony Orchestra in Denmark, and the Iceland Symphony Orchestra. Throughout his career, Gamba has recorded extensively and has been nominated for a Grammy Award twice for his recordings with Chandos Records. Oulu Sinfonia’s and Gamba’s first recording together, album titled Overtures from Finland, was released in August 2023.

“I want to continue to widen the orchestra’s repertoire and develop the connection with our wonderful audience. I want the audience to know they can come to listen to absolutely anything we do, regardless of whether they know the music or not, and be guaranteed an experience that is unique”, Gamba describes.

Also Kuusisto highlights Gamba’s unique relationship with the audience. “I appreciate his innovative and open approach to programming. We share a common goal of achieving significant artistic results in Oulu, and we are committed to jointly taking responsibility for that.”

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