symphony

Helvi Leiviskä wrote monumentally culminating symphonies and influenced numerous Finnish composers. As a theosophist, she wanted her music to reflect her world view and believed in the power of music. Thanks to the efforts of musicians and scholars, she is now attaining the place she deserves in the repertoire of Finnish orchestras, 120 years after her birth.

"With my works and with the way I write them, I advocate for the human touch in our increasingly cold and technological world," writes composer Kalevi Aho. This column is part of the series where composers and other music makers write about their music.

"Fridrich Bruk’s music has roots in the tradition of Russian colourful orchestral music. The Latvian kantele-like instrument kokle brings a refreshing twist to the sound palette."

The third symphony by Mikko Heiniö is premiered in Turku in May 18. While celebrating his 70th birthday, it nevertheless looks to the future. His work as a composer continues, and he has just finished writing a new opera, his fourth.

During the last three decades of his life, Sibelius was locked in a desperate struggle with the forces of creation, the expectations of those around him and his own growing self-criticism. By the end, the vital question had been whittled down to: perfection or completion? Consciously or unconsciously, Sibelius plumped for perfect. Kari Kilpeläinen here traces the history of the elusive eighth symphony in the light of the documents that have been preserved. Anyone interested in reading more about the subject would do well to dig out Volume 1 of the Finnish Music Quarterly (1985), in which Erik Tawaststjerna takes a broad look at the background to ‘Sibelius 8′.

Composer, musicology Professor emeritus Mikko Heiniö's article on Jean Sibelius's historical significance was first published in FMQ in 1990.