The Art of Illusion
THE ART OF ILLUSION
If the twentieth century started with a futurist Utopia it went into the 21st century with a look back at the past, a self-defence mechanism against the pace of life and all the stresses of the modern age. And this is the seductive force of combining reality with illusion.
We would all trade a herbal tea in the Orwellian Ministry of Truth for a coffee in the company of Pulcinella. Even if Pulcinella were a non-existent citizen of the Republic of Venise. Or in the company of the greatest artists of illusion - Vermeer, Debussy, Nijinsky, Mozart, Verlaine, Marilyn, Osvaldo or Da Vinci and his smiling Madonna. Whoever loves the rat race can find it on every street corner of the global village. Whoever needs the noise of the news does not even have to seek it out – it will find you in this era of credible fake news. Is there any way out? Tear yourself away from the cell phone, tablet or laptop.
Stop time and detox with us for two weeks of music.
In December of 2019
Vladimir Mendelssohn
Artistic Director (2005–2021)
THE ILLUSION OF ART
Our friend Vladimir Mendelssohn had planned a festival programme for 2020 entitled 'The Art of Illusion'. Following the unexpected, sad news last summer, this inspirational programme fell into our laps to be finalised. Having understood the logistics it would call for, it very soon occurred to us that for all these years Vlady had not just given Kuhmo the art of illusion, but also, masterfully, the Illusion of Art.
Vlady himself was the embodiment of illusion while the festival was on. His easy-going manner (despite the extremely tight schedule), powers of concentration (with the phone constantly ringing in his pocket), his way of managing everything down to the finest detail, combined with his utter dedication (democratically shared between 120 performers) would clearly only work with someone who truly lives in the moment. He surely had enough of these moments to share – among us fellow-artists, our office colleagues and you, our ever-supportive audience.
This legacy is something we too want to keep alive: to cherish this oasis of diverse sounds, to deliver touching, even haunting experiences. And be they ever so small and fleeting, or ones that stay with you forever, let us allow them to awaken something we sorely need or have forgotten.
As to how those are created and what really goes on onstage – let that remain an illusion...
See you in Kuhmo!
Minna Pensola and Antti Tikkanen
Artistic Directors
Programme notes by Vladimir Mendelssohn, Minna Pensola and Antti Tikkanen unless otherwise stated.
1. 15.00 Kuhmo Arts Centre €28/21
Vladimir Mendelssohn memorial concert
'Song of the Birds', Catalonian Christmas song (arr. for piano quartet and overtone singer by Gareth Lubbe)
Béla Bartók (1881—1945):
Duos for two violins (1931)
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770—1827):
Allegro molto, quasi presto from String Quartet, Op. 18/2 (1799)
Paul Hindemith (1895—1963):
Sonata in F, Op. 11/4 for viola and piano (1919)
Intermission
Kaija Saariaho (1952—):
Fleurs irrégulières for two violins
Wiljami Anttikainen (alias Vladimir Mendelssohn) (1949—2021):
Lupine for Antti and Minna, composed on a napkin at a pizzeria in Cividale 2017
Kaija Saariaho (1952—):
Fleurs à 3 ou 6 pétales for two violins
Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872—1958):
Lark Ascending for violin and orchestra (1914, arr. for solo violin, clarinet, French horn and string sextet Martin Gerigk)
George Enescu (1881—1955):
Romanian Rhapsody in A, Op. 11/1 (1901, transcription for string quartet)
2. 19.00 Kuhmo Arts Centre €38/28**
The Well tempered ear
W. A. Mozart (1756—1791):
Serenade in G, K. 525 'Eine kleine Nachtmusik' (1787)
Robert Schumann (1810—1856):
Piano Quartet No. 2 in E flat, Op. 47 (1842)
Intermission
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770—1827):
Variations in E flat, WoO 46 on 'Bei Männern, welche Liebe fühlen' from Mozart's opera Magic Flute for cello and piano (1801)
Johannes Brahms (1833—1897):
Piano Trio No. 1 in B, Op. 8 (1853-54, rev. 1889)
Intermission
Franz Schubert (1797—1828):
Octet in F, D. 803 for clarinet, bassoon, French horn and string quintet (1824)
The tree of knowledge
10.00 Salakamari
The Heart of the day
Meet the artistic directors (in Finnish)
3. 11.00 Kuhmo Church €23/19*
Georg Friedrich Handel (1685—1759):
Passacaglia No. 255 from Suite No. 7 in G minor, HWV 432 for harpsichord (1720)
Krzysztof Penderecki (1933—2020):
Ciaccona in memoriam Giovanni Paolo II for violin and cello (2009)
J. S. Bach (1685—1750):
Ciaccona from Partita No. 2 in D minor, BWV 1004/5 (1720, arr. for violin and piano by Felix Mendelssohn)
Helena Winkelman (1974—):
Ciaccona for solo violin (2002)
Francesca Caccini (1587—1640):
Ciaccona for violin and harpsichord
Johan Halvorsen (1864—1935):
Passacaglia in G minor on the Theme by Georg Friedrich Handel for violin and viola (1897)
4. 15.00 Kuhmo Church €23/19
The Arts of the fugue
Domenico Scarlatti (1685—1757):
Sonata in G minor, K. 30 'Cat's Fugue' (1739)
J. S. Bach (1685—1750):
Toccata and fugue in D minor, BWV 565 (?before 1708)
Sofia Gubaidulina (1931—):
Reflections on the Theme B-A-C-H for string quartet (2002)
J. S. Bach (1685—1750):
Art of Fugue, BWV 1080, Nos. 1, 2, 5, 9, 7 and 18 (before 1742, rev. c1745 and 1748-9, arr. for string quartet)
The performances of the Quartetto di Cremona in Kuhmo are supported by the Italian Cultural Institute in Helsinki.
Glenn Gould (1932—1982):
So you want to write a fugue? (1957-58)
5. 18.00 Kuhmo Arts Centre €28/21
Serioso
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770—1827):
String Quartet No. 11 in F minor, Op. 95 'Serioso' (1810-11)
Mieczysław Weinberg (1919—1996):
String Quartet No. 8, Op. 66 (1959)
Intermission
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770—1827):
Overture from Egmont, Op. 84 (1809-10, arr. for two pianos eight hands by Gustav Rösler)
Jean Sibelius (1865—1957):
Laetare anima mea. Cantique, Op. 77/1 for cello and piano (1914)
Dmitry Shostakovich (1906—1975):
String Quartet No. 9 in E flat, Op. 117 (1964)
Mieczysław Weinberg (1919—1996):
Presto from String Quartet No. 2, Op. 3 (1940)
6. 21.15 Kuhmo Church €23/19
Roots and wings
J. S. Bach (1685—1750):
Prelude and Fugue in D minor, BWV 539 'Fiddle' (1720)
Lera Auerbach (1973—):
Ballet for a Lonely Violinist, Op. 70 for violin solo (2002)
Felix Mendelssohn (1809—1847):
String Quintet No. 2 in B flat, Op. 87 (1845)
Zweisamkeit
7. 11.00 Kuhmo Church €23/19**
Double concertos
J. S. Bach (1685—1750):
Concerto in C minor, BWV 1060 for oboe, violin, strings and basso continuo (~1735)
Domenico Cimarosa (1749—1801):
Concerto in G for two flutes and chamber orchestra (1793)
J. S. Bach (1685—1750):
Concerto in D minor, BWV 1043 for two violins, strings and basso continuo (1730-31)
8. 15.00 Tuupala Primary School €23/19
Zweisamkeit
Together forever, like Alma and Gustav Mahler, or in spirit like Weigl and Schönberg: speaking the same language and inspired by amorous dates with fate.
In D minor of course…
Karl Weigl (1881—1949):
Ein Stelldichein, Op. 16 for soprano and string sextet (1904)
Alma Mahler (1879—1964):
Die stille Stadt (1910)
Arnold Schönberg (1874—1951):
Die Verklärte Nacht (Transfigured Night), Op. 4 for string sextet (1899)
9. 18.00 Kuhmo Arts Centre €28/21
Twin shadows
The Goddess Fortuna held out one of her hands to Shostakovich and the other to Weinberg. Both were summoned for interrogation by the KGB in the dark times of Stalinist terror. Shostakovich escaped because his interrogator got himself arrested and Weinberg because Stalin died. Their twin fates were sealed forever. Their influence on each other made it impossible to say who had made the greatest impression on the other or who should have been grateful to whom..
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770—1827):
Bagatelle in A minor, WoO 59 'Für Elise' (1808-10)
Dmitry Shostakovich (1906—1975):
String Quartet No. 10 in A flat, Op. 118 (1964)
Robert Schumann (1810—1856):
Im Schatten des Waldes, Op. 29/3 for vocal quartet, piano, triangle and tambourine (1840)
Intermission
Franz Schubert (1797—1828):
Die Schatten, D. 50 (1813)
Mieczysław Weinberg (1919—1996):
String Quartet No. 7, Op. 59 (1957)
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770—1827):
Bagatelle, Op. 126/2 (1824, arr. for two violins by Osvaldo Golijov 2016)
10. 21.00 Kuhmo Arts Centre €23/19
2=1 The cosmic union
Felix Mendelssohn (1809—1847):
Concert Piece No. 1 in F minor, Op. 113 clarinet, basset horn and piano (1832)
Fanny Mendelssohn (1805—1847):
Notturno in G minor for piano (1838)
Fanny Mendelssohn (1805—1847):
Allegro molto in C minor for piano (1846)
Felix Mendelssohn (1809—1847):
String Octet in E flat, Op. 20 (1825)
Game of clones
11. 11.00 Kuhmo Church €23/19
J. S. Bach (1685—1750):
Das Musikalische Opfer, BWV 1079 (1747)
12. 15.00 Tuupala Primary School €23/19
Fuel for imagination
Mieczysław Weinberg (1919—1996):
String Quartet No. 15, Op. 124 (1980)
Sebastian Fagerlund (1972—):
Fuel for clarinet, cello and piano (2010)
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770—1827):
String Quartet No. 1 in F, Op. 18/1 (1798-1800)
13. 18.00 Kuhmo Arts Centre €28/21
In 1918 Debussy had no time left to finish his last sonata project. But he had clearly in mind who his model would be: Rameau.
Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683—1764):
Concerto No. 1 from Pièces de clavecin en concerts for flute, violin and harpsichord (1741)
Claude Debussy (1862—1918):
Sonata for cello and piano (1915)
Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683—1764):
Concerto No. 3 from Pièces de clavecin en concerts for flute, viola and harpsichord (1741)
Claude Debussy (1862—1918):
Hommage à Rameau from Images, series 1 (1901-05)
Intermission
Claude Debussy (1862—1918):
Sonata No. 2 for flute, viola and harp (1915)
Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683—1764):
Concerto No. 4 from Pièces de clavecin en concerts for flute, cello and harpsichord (1741)
Claude Debussy (1862—1918):
Violin Sonata in G minor (1916-17)
14. 21.00 Kuhmo Arts Centre €23/19
Associations
Sebastian Fagerlund (1972—):
Remain for piano trio (2022)
J. S. Bach (1685—1750):
Gavotte en rondeau from Partita No. 3, BWV 1006 (1720, arr. for violin and piano by Fritz Kreisler 1913)
Fritz Kreisler (1875—1962):
Prelude and Allegro in the Style of Pugnani in E minor for violin and piano (1910)
Olli Mustonen (1967—):
Quartet for oboe, violin, viola and piano (2010)
Hero/e/ine's journey
10.00 Salakamari
The Heart of the day
About discovering Weinberg's string quartet No. 6 (in English)
15. 11.00 Kuhmo Church €23/19
Hero/e/ine's journey
Amédée Reuchsel (1875—1931):
Chant national de Saint Jeanne d'Arc
Andrea Falconieri (1585—1656):
Batalla de Barabaso yerno de Satanas No. 20 from Il primo libro canzone (1650)
Franz Schubert (1797—1828):
Kriegers Ahnung, D. 957/2 from Schwanengesang (1828)
Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber (1644—1704):
Battalia (Sonata di marche) (1673)
Frédéric Chopin (1810—1849):
Polonaise in A, Op. 40/1 'Le Militaire' (1838)
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770—1827):
Overture to Collin's Coriolan, Op. 62 (1807, arr. for piano four hands by Richard Kleinmichel)
16. 14.00 Tuupala Primary School €23/19
The Black list
Sergey Prokofiev (1891—1953):
Overture on Hebrew Themes in C minor, Op. 34 for clarinet and piano quintet (1919)
‘Prikaz No. 17' (‘Order No. 17’), covered works whose performance was banned. The effects lasted for several years, and the sixth quartet was never performed in Weinberg’s lifetime, despite its being republished in 1979. The world premiere would not take place for many years, the first performance being given by the Quatuor Danel in Manchester, in January 2007. Only since then has the sixth quartet come to be recognised as one of Weinberg's masterpieces, a work to rival the quartets of Shostakovich.
In six movements, it is an eclectic work, contrapuntally rich, dramatic, and pregnant with anxiety and tension, relieved by welcome moments of lyricism and tranquillity. There are whiffs of klezmer dances, two dazzling scherzo-like movements, and a pensive fugue that fades away towards the end. It is the kind of profound work that simply grows on you.
Mieczysław Weinberg (1919—1996):
String Quartet No. 6 in E minor, Op. 35 (1946)
Aram Khachaturian (1903—1978):
Waltz from Masquerade for piano (1941)
Dmitry Shostakovich (1906—1975):
String Quartet No. 4 in D, Op. 83 (1949)
The duration of the concert approx. 1½ h.
THIS CONCERT'S FRIEND IS KAINUUN SANOMAT.
17. 18.00 Kuhmo Arts Centre €28/21
Superheroes
Georg Philipp Telemann (1681—1767):
Don Quixote in G, TWV 55:G10 for string quartet, double bass and harpsichord
Fritz Kreisler (1875—1962):
Toy Soldier's March for violin and piano (1917)
Maurice Ravel (1875—1937):
Alborada del gracioso from Miroirs for piano (1918)
Richard Strauss (1864—1949):
Till Eulenspiegel einmal anders, Op. 28 (1894-5, arr. for violin, clarinet, bassoon, French horn and double bass by Franz Hasenöhrl)
Intermission
Georg Philipp Telemann (1681—1767):
Gulliver Suite in D, TWV 40:108 for two violins (1728/29)
Claude Debussy (1862—1918):
Hommage à S. Pickwick Esq. P.P.M.P.C. from Préludes, bk II (1911-13)
In 1909, Clarke began composing music for anyone who would listen. Her first major success came in 1918 when she successfully presented her viola piece Morpheus in New York’s Carnegie Hall. To facilitate its commercial sale, however, the publisher persuaded her to issue it under the male pseudonym “Anthony Trent”.
The following year, as Anthony Trent, she entered her Viola Sonata in the Berkshire Musical Festival competition sponsored by Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge. With a total of 73 entries, the judges were evenly divided between Ernest Bloch’s viola sonata and Clarke’s, and Coolidge gave her deciding vote to Bloch.
In 1921, “Anthony Trent” again entered the Berkshire competition with her Piano Trio, the work we hear this evening, and was again the runner-up. Based on that showing, Coolidge commissioned Clarke to compose under her own name a Rhapsody for Cello and Piano for the non-competitive side of the 1923 Berkshire Festival. But eventually, given the continuing disinterest of publishers, Clarke’s output of compositions declined, and with the exception of one song, she composed nothing in the last 35 years of her life.
Women composers - superheroes in their time!
Rebecca Clarke (1886—1979):
Piano Trio (1921)
Osvaldo Golijov (1960—):
Lullaby and Doina from the film 'The Man Who Cried' for flute, clarinet, violin, viola, cello and double bass (2001)
18. 21.00 Kuhmo Arts Centre €23/19
Knights and heroes & heroines
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770—1827):
Music for a Ballet of Knights (Ritterballett), WoO 1 (1791)
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770—1827):
Symphony No. 3 in E flat, Op. 55 'Eroica' (1803, arr. for piano quartet by Ferdinand Ries 1870)
The hourless clock
TODAY'S PARTNER IS THE 120-YEAR-OLD OP GROUP.
10.00 Salakamari
The Heart of the day
Iidamari Ahonen, Emma Mali, Charlotta Westerback and Senja Rummukainen, holders of the instruments owned by the OP Art Foundation (presentations in Finnish). Includes art works from the Foundation’s collection.
19. 11.00 Kuhmo Church €23/19
The eternal clock
Joseph Haydn (1732—1809):
Andante from Symphony No. 101 in D, Hob. I:101 'The Clock' (1794, arr. for piano four hands by Hugo Ulrich)
J. S. Bach (1685—1750):
Andante from Violin Sonata No. 2 in A minor, BWV 1003 (1720)
Jean Françaix (1912—1997):
L'Heure du Berger for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, French horn and piano (1972)
Johann Strauss II (1825—1899):
Tik-Tak Polka, Op. 365 for flute, glockenspiel, positive organ, toy piano and strings (1874)
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770—1827):
An Mälzel, Vierstimmiger Canon, WoO 162 (1812)
Amilcare Ponchielli (1834—1886):
Dance of the Hours (1876)
20. 13.00 Tuupala Primary School €10
Chamber Music Workshop
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770—1827):
Piano Quartet, Op. 16a (1796-97, arr. from quintet for piano and winds by composer)
Antonín Dvořák (1841—1904):
Piano Quartet in E flat, Op. 87 (1889)
21. 15.00 Kuhmo Church €23/19*
From the time that passed
Claude Debussy (1862—1918):
La cathédrale engloutie, L. 117/10 from Preludes, bk I (1910)
Osvaldo Golijov (1960—):
The Dreams and Prayers of Isaac the Blind for clarinet and string quartet (1994)
Claude Debussy (1862—1918):
Et la lune descend sur le temple qui fut from Images, serie II (1907)
22. 18.00 Kuhmo Arts Centre €23/19
Sudden shadow
Mieczysław Weinberg (1919—1996):
String Quartet No. 5 in B flat, Op. 27 (1945)
The work was premiered in Moscow by the Beethoven Quartet, to whom it is dedicated, in December 1946, largely due to the politically correct renaming of the movements. For the premiere, not to be accused of ‘formalism’ or ‘elitism’, Shostakovich renamed the movements (in the manner of a war report)
I. Allegretto I. Blithe ignorance of the future cataclysm
II. Moderato con moto II. Rumblings of unrest and anticipation
III. Allegro non troppo III. Forces of war unleashed
IV. Adagio (attacca) IV. In memory of the dead
V. Moderato V. The eternal question: why and for what?
Dmitry Shostakovich (1906—1975):
String Quartet No. 3 in F, Op. 73 (1946)
THERE ARE ART WORKS FROM THE OP ART FOUNDATION ON DISPLAY AT THE CONCERT VENUE.
23. 20.00 Kuhmo Arts Centre €38/28
White Nights
Kaija Saariaho (1952—):
Oi kuu for bass clarinet and cello (1990)
Edvard Grieg (1843—1907):
String Quartet No. 1 in G minor, Op. 27 (1877-78)
Emma Mali, Iidamari Ahonen, Charlotta Westerback and Senja Rummukainen play instruments owned by the OP Art Foundation.
Intermission
Carl Nielsen (1865—1931):
Piano Trio in G (1880)
Amanda Maier-Röntgen (1853—1894):
Schwedische Weisen und Tänze, Op. 6 Nos. 1 and 2 for violin and piano (1882)
Franz Berwald (1796—1868):
Septet for clarinet, bassoon, French horn and strings (1828)
Intermission
Pēteris Vasks (1946—):
Castillo Interior for violin and cello (2013)
Jean Sibelius (1865—1957):
Scene with Cranes of the Play Death by Arvid Järnefelt, Op. 44/2 (1903-04)
Jean Sibelius (1865—1957):
Valse triste, Op. 44/1 (1904, arr. for piano by composer)
Edvard Grieg (1843—1907):
Holberg Suite, Op. 40 (1884)
Iidamari Ahonen, Emma Mali and Charlotta Westerback play instruments owned by the OP Art Foundation.
THIS CONCERT’S PARTNER IS THE 120-YEAR-OLD OP GROUP. THERE ARE ART WORKS FROM THE FOUNDATION ON DISPLAY AT THE CONCERT VENUE.
Second lives
10.00 Kuhmo Arts Centre/Cafeteria Juttua
The Heart of the day
Introduction in Finnish
Jovanka Trbojevic (1963—2017):
This is my second life for cello and piano (2013)
24. 11.00 Kuhmo Arts Centre €23/19
The second lives of Vivaldi & Marcello
Antonio Vivaldi (1678—1741):
Concerto in D minor, RV 565 (Op. 3/11) for two violins, cello, strings and basso continuo "L'Estro armonico" (1711)
The second movement is played with Bach’s additional ornamentations.
Alessandro Marcello (1684—1750):
Concerto in D minor for oboe, strings and basso continuo (c1717)
The Organ Concerto is an arrangement of a Vivaldi concerto for two violins.
J. S. Bach (1685—1750):
Organ Concerto in D minor, BWV 596 (arrangement of concerto for two violins and cello, RV 565 by Vivaldi for solo organ) (1713-14)
Antonio Vivaldi (1678—1741):
Concerto in B minor No. 10, RV 580 for four violins, cello and strings
In the end, Vivaldi’s concerto in Bach’s hands had its second coming as one for four harpsichords.
25. 14.30 Tuupala Primary School €23/19
The three lives of the clarinet
W. A. Mozart (1756—1791):
Six Notturni, K. 439, 438, 436, 437, 346 and 549 (1786-87)
Joseph Haydn (1732—1809):
Drei Trios Hob. IV: Es I, Es 2 and B 1 for clarinet, violin and bassoon
W. A. Mozart (1756—1791):
Clarinet Quintet in A, K. 581 'Stadler' (1789)
26. 16.30 Kuhmo Church €23/19
Joseph Haydn (1732—1809):
Chorale St. Antoni from Divertimento in B flat, Hob. II:46 (1782?)
Johannes Brahms (1833—1897):
Ballade in B, Op. 10/4 (1854)
Gérard Pesson (1958—):
Nebenstück (D'après la 4e Ballade op. 10 de Johannes Brahms) for clarinet and string quartet (1998)
Sebastian Fagerlund (1972—):
Licht im Licht (Fantasie nach J. Brahms: Variationen über ein Thema von Haydn) for piano (2007)
Thomas Tallis (1505—1585):
Hymn No. 153 'Come, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire' for organ (c. 1567)
Rebecca Clarke (1886—1979):
Passacaglia on an Old English Tune for viola and piano (?1940-41)
27. 19.00 Kuhmo Arts Centre €38/28
Franz Schubert (1797—1828):
String Quartet No. 14 in D minor, D. 810 'Der Tod und das Mädchen' (1824)
Intermission
Franz Schubert (1797—1828):
Erlkönig, Op. 1 (1815)
Jörg Widmann (1973—):
Idyll and Abyss, Six Schubert Reminiscences for piano (2009)
Osvaldo Golijov (1960—):
She was here from Four songs by Schubert (2008)
Francis Poulenc (1899—1963):
Improvisation No. 12 in E flat for piano 'Hommage à Schubert' (1941)
Intermission
György Kurtág (1926—):
Hommage à Schubert for piano from Játékok III (Games) (1979)
Franz Schubert (1797—1828):
String Quintet in C, D. 956 (1828)
Lost souls alley
28. 11.00 Tuupala Primary School €23/19
Obsession
J. S. Bach (1685—1750):
Prelude from Partita No. 3 in E, BWV 1006 (1720)
Eugène Ysaÿe (1858—1931):
Solo Violin Sonata No. 2, Op. 27/2 'Obsession' (1923)
John Tavener (1944—2013):
Prayer of the Heart for voice, byzantine bell, tibetan temple bowl, string quartet and recorded heartbeat (1999)
J. S. Bach (1685—1750):
Presto from Sonata No. 1 in G minor, BWV 1001 for solo violin (1720)
Anna Clyne (1980—):
Rest These Hands (2009)
Kurt Weill (1900—1950):
Je ne t'aime pas (I don't love you) (1934)
Jacob Gade (1879—1963):
Jealously ‘Gypsy Tango’ (1925)
29. 15.00 Tuupala Primary School €23/19
Meet the composer Osvaldo Golijov
Minna Pensola and Antti Tikkanen present Osvaldo Golijov. The composer talks about his teachers…
George Crumb (1929—2022):
Movements from Makrokosmos I for amplified piano (1972)
...of things that are important to him...
Osvaldo Golijov (1960—):
Mariel for cello and marimba (1999)
…and of symbols and meanings.
Aníbal Troilo (1914—1975):
Responso (1943, arr. for string quartet by Osvaldo Golijov 1998)
WEEKLY SEASON TICKET I IS NO VALID AFTER THIS CONCERT.
30. 18.00 Kuhmo Arts Centre €28/21
On the edge
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770—1827):
Rondo a capriccio in G, Op. 129 'Die Wut über den verlorenen Groschen' for piano (1795)
Franz Schubert (1797—1828):
Der Doppelgänger, D. 957/13 from Schwanengesang (1828, arr. for mezzo-soprano, viola, three cellos and double bass)
Gustav Mahler (1860—1911):
Adagio from Symphony No. 10 (1910)
Intermission
Marcelo Nisinman (1970—):
Die Alpträume des Abgrunds for violin and cello (Finnish premier)
Peter Maxwell Davies (1934—):
Eight Songs for a Mad King (1968)
31. 21.00 Kuhmo Arts Centre €23/19
Souvenir d'un paysage inconnu
Myriam Marbé (1931—1997):
Souvenir d'un paysage inconnu for flute and viola (1978)
Sergey Rachmaninoff (1873—1943):
Adagio from Symphony No. 2, Op. 27 (1906-08)
Pyotr Tchaikovsky (1840—1893):
Souvenir de Florence in D minor, Op. 70 (1890)
Words about sounds
32. 11.00 Kuhmo Church €23/19
Ghosts, dreams and sea spirits
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770—1827):
Piano Trio in D, Op. 70/1 'Ghost' (1808)
Tōru Takemitsu (1930—1996):
Toward the Sea III for alto flute and harp (1989)
Oskar Merikanto (1868—1924):
Merellä (At Sea), Op. 47/4 (1891)
Kaija Saariaho (1952—):
Caliban's Dream (1993)
Kaija Saariaho (1952—):
Prospero's Vision (2002)
Kaija Saariaho (1952—):
Bosun's Cheer (2014)
33. 13.30 Tuupala Primary School €10*
Children's concert
Francis Poulenc (1899—1963):
L' histoire de Babar, le petit éléphant (The Story of Babar, the little elephant) for narrator and piano (1940-45) (in Finnish)
Recommended for children over the age of 5.
34. 15.00 Tuupala Primary School €23/19
Heine's review
Finally, a shadow from hell appeared on stage. It was Paganini in his black suit. Or was it a corpse risen from its grave, a violin-wielding vampire sucking, if not our blood, then surely the silver out of our pockets? The scene around him had changed immediately he started to play: it was a bright, shiny, princely place enriched with garlands, lace, fake pearls - like the boudoir of a prima donna.
H. Heine
Robert Schumann (1810—1856):
Etudes Nos. 1, 4 and 5 from Six Etudes after Paganini Caprices, Op. 3 for piano (1832)
Karol Szymanowski (1882—1937):
Three Paganini Caprices, Op. 40 for violin and piano (1918)
Sergey Rachmaninoff (1873—1943):
18th Variation from Rapsodie on a Theme of Paganini (1934, arr. for violin and piano by Fritz Kreisler)
Nicolò Paganini (1782—1840):
Cantabile in D for violin and guitar (1823)
The Readers' Digest Guide to the 24 Caprices, Op. 1
35. 18.00 Kuhmo Arts Centre €28/21
Sounds about words
Fantasy is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Fantasy encircles the world.
Outi Tarkiainen (1985—):
Woodland Fanfares for clarinet, cello and piano (2021) (premier, commissioned work by the city of Kuhmo)
Felix Mendelssohn (1809—1847):
Sonata in A No. 3 from Six Organ Sonatas, Op. 65 (1844)
Robert Schumann (1810—1856):
Fantasy Pieces, Op. 73 for clarinet and piano (1849)
Hector Berlioz (1803—1869):
Un Bal from Symphonie fantastique, Op. 14 (1830, transcription for piano four hands by Ch. Bannelier)
Osvaldo Golijov (1960—):
ZZ's Dream for piano (2008)
Intermission
Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872—1958):
Fantasia on Greensleeves, adapted from the opera Sir John in Love (1934, arr. for violin and piano by Michael Mullinar)
François Borne (1840—1920):
Carmen Fantasy on Themes from the opera by Georges Bizet (1918, arr. for flute and string quartet by Brett Thompson)
Frank Bridge (1879—1941):
Fantasy Piano Quartet in F sharp minor (1910)
Philip Glass (1937—):
Trilogy Sonata: Knee Play No. 4 from Einstein on the Beach (1976, arr. for piano by Paul Barnes)
THIS CONCERT'S FRIEND IS THE CITY OF KUHMO.
36. 21.00 Kuhmo Arts Centre €23/19
Beethoven's business letter
15 Jan 1801
Dear Brother Hoffmeister*
…I have for you a septet (op. 20) which has proven very popular, and you can publish it for 20 ducats. A concerto – not one of my best (No. 2) for 10 ducats. A grand solo sonata (op. 22) – this is a first-rate composition – for 20 ducats and a grand symphony (op. 21 ‘Eroica’).
* Brother (in a masonic lodge)
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770—1827):
Piano Sonata No. 11 in B flat, Op. 22 (1800)
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770—1827):
Septet in E flat, Op. 20 (1799)
Opera
10.00 Kuhmo Arts Centre/Cafeteria Juttua
The Heart of the Day
Introduction in Finnish
37. 11.00 Kuhmo Arts Centre €23/19
How to write an overture
Giovanni Paisiello (1740—1816):
Il capitano Cook in Othaiti (arr. Davide Pitis)
I wrote the overture to ‘The Thieving Magpie’ (La Gazza Ladra) on the very day of the first performance, in La Scala in Milan, where I was sent by an impresario just as bad and almost as bald as Barbaia and watched over by four stagehands. This quartet of executioners had been ordered to throw my overture, phrase by phrase, out of the window to the copyists waiting in the courtyard below, who would then deliver the parts to the first violins to rehearse. In the event of there being no pages of music to throw into the courtyard, the barbarians had orders to throw me to the copyists.
G. Rossini
Gioacchino Rossini (1792—1868):
Overture from La Gazza Ladra (1817, arr. for piano four hands by Richard Kleinmichel)
Johann Strauss II (1825—1899):
Overture from the operetta die Fledermaus (The Bat) (1874, arr. for wind quintet by Tom Kennedy)
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770—1827):
Leonora Overture No. 3 in C, Op. 72b for two pianos eight hands (1806)
Paul Hindemith (1895—1963):
Overture to the Flying Dutchman as played at sight by a second-rate concert orchestra at the village well at 7 o'clock in the morning (1925)
38. 14.15 Tuupala Primary School €23/19
How to write an air
J. S. Bach (1685—1750):
Air from Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D, BWV 1068 (1731)
Ottorino Respighi (1879—1936):
Ancient Airs and Dances, Suite No. 1 (1917, arr. for strings by Matthew Naughtin)
P. D. Q. Bach (1807—1742):
Air "Ground Round" from Sonata, S. 440 for viola four hands and harpsichord (1971)
Tomi Räisänen (1976—):
Balloon Work for guitar and four balloon players (2011)
François Couperin (1668—1733):
Air du diable from Les Gouts-Réunis ou nouveaux concerts (1724)
Osvaldo Golijov (1960—):
How Slow the Wind for soprano and string quartet (2001)
39. 16.15 Kuhmo Church €23/19
Parafrases
Franz Liszt (1811—1886):
Réminiscences de Lucia di Lammermoor, S. 397 (1835-36, based on Lucia di Lammermoor by Gaetano Donizetti)
Frédéric Chopin (1810—1849):
Theme with Variation from Morceau de concert, Grandes variations de bravoure pour piano sur la marche des puritains de Bellini composées pour le concert de Mme. La Princesse Belgiojoso au bénéfice des italiens pauvres
Franz Liszt (1811—1886):
Elsas Brautzug zum Münster, S. 445/2 from Wagner's Lohengrin (1852)
Jules Massenet (1842—1912):
Meditation de Thaïs (1894, arr. for violin and piano by Martin Pierre Marsick)
Mikhail Glinka (1804—1857):
Divertimento brillante in A flat on Themes from Bellini's opera La Sonnambula (The Sleepwalker) (1832)
THIS CONCERT'S FRIEND IS F-MUSIIKKI OY.
40. 18.30 Kuhmo Arts Centre €28/21
Wordless opera
W. A. Mozart (1756—1791):
String Quintet No. 4 in G minor, K. 516 (1787)
Gioacchino Rossini (1792—1868):
Duetto in D for cello and double bass (1824)
Intermission
Gioacchino Rossini (1792—1868):
Introduction, Theme and Variations from La donna del lago (1819, arr. for clarinet and piano)
Giuseppe Verdi (1813—1901):
String Quartet in E minor (1873)
41. 21.30 Kuhmo Arts Centre €23/19
There's something about Mélisande
Gabriel Fauré (1845—1924):
Prélude from Pelléas et Mélisande, Op. 80 (1898, arr. for piano four hands)
Gabriel Fauré (1845—1924):
Fileuse, Op. 80/2 from Pelléas et Mélisande (1898, transcription for violin and piano by Léopold Auer)
Gabriel Fauré (1845—1924):
Sicilienne, Op. 78 (1893, transcribed for flute and harp by Dewey Owens)
Gabriel Fauré (1845—1924):
Mélisande's Song, Op. Posth. (1898)
Gabriel Fauré (1845—1924):
La mort de Mélisande from Pelléas et Mélisande, Op. 80 (1898, arr. for piano by composer)
Claude Debussy (1862—1918):
Pelléas et Mélisande (1893-1902, arr. for piano trio by Henri Mouton)
Jean Sibelius (1865—1957):
Pelléas et Mélisande, Suite, Op. 46 (1905)
The history channel
42. 11.00 Kuhmo Church €23/19
From the time when earth was flat
Jean-Féry Rebel (1666—1747):
Le chaos from the Symphony Les éléments
Osvaldo Golijov (1960—):
Tenebrae II for string quartet (2003)
François Couperin (1668—1733):
Cinquième prèlude in A from L'art de toucher le clavecin (1716)
François Couperin (1668—1733):
Suite for harpsichord No. 24, mov. 8 L'amphibie, mouvement de passacaille from Quatrième livre de pièces de clavecin (1730)
Darius Milhaud (1892—1974):
La création du monde, Op. 81b for piano quintet (1923)
43. 15.00 Tuupala Primary School €23/19
History of histories
Maurice Ravel (1875—1937):
Histoires naturelles for soprano and piano (1906)
Igor Stravinsky (1882—1971):
L'Histoire du soldat for clarinet, violin and piano (1918)
Astor Piazzolla (1921—1992):
Histoire du Tango (1986)
44. 18.00 Kuhmo Arts Centre €28/21
History of religion
J. S. Bach (1685—1750):
Choral 'O Mensch, bewein dein Sünde gross', BWV 622
J. S. Bach (1685—1750):
Fugue 'Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein', BWV 2/1 from Cantata No. 2 for organ
W. A. Mozart (1756—1791):
Gesang der Geharnischten (Choral 'Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein') from Zauberflöte, K. 620
Alexander Scriabin (1872—1915):
Piano Sonata No. 7, Op. 64 'White Mass' (1911-12)
Jean Sibelius (1865—1957):
Nocturne, Op. 51/3 from Belshazzar's Feast (1907, arr. for violin and piano by composer)
Nadia Boulanger (1887—1979):
Cantique Lux aeterna for voice, violin, cello, harp and organ (1918)
Intermission
Fritz Kreisler (1875—1962):
Preghiera (Prayer) for violin and piano (1940, transcription of Sergey Rachaminoff's piano concerto no. 2)
Maurice Ravel (1875—1937):
Deux mélodies hébraïques (1914, arr. for cello and piano)
Joaquín Turina (1882—1949):
La oración del torero, Op. 34 for string quartet (1925)
Osvaldo Golijov (1960—):
Levante for piano (2004)
45. 21.00 Kuhmo Arts Centre €23/19
The Secret history of Sankt Stephan
The registers of birth, marriage and death had been peacefully gathering centuries of dust in the vaults of St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna, until the SS Race and Settlement Main Office sent a Gestapo official, following the annexation of Austria (Anschluss), to check on the Aryan purity of the people registered – living or dead. What he found was likely to undermine racial harmony and compromise the success of the Anschluss. The composer of the Radetzky March – Austria’s second national anthem in practice – was not Aryan! So the official confiscated marriage register number 60 and he took it to the authorities in Berlin. Here all the pages that recorded Strauss's ancestry and Jewish ties were removed and replaced with fake copies before the register was returned to Vienna. These antecedents of Strauss became particularly problematic for the Nazis when they annexed Austria in 1938. Clearly the subjugation of the Austrian nation could not proceed smoothly if the most popular music of the country was suppressed on racial grounds. Besides, Hitler (who was Austrian himself) loved the music of Strauss. Thus, Strauss was efficiently ‘Aryanised’, but the Nazi propaganda machine still had work to do concerning his relatives in Vienna - especially Alice Strauss.
Robert Dachs / The Independent
Johann Strauss II (1825—1899):
Kaiserwalzer, Op. 437 (1889, arr. for flute, clarinet and piano quintet by Arnold Schönberg 1925)
Johann Strauss II (1825—1899):
Wo die Citronen blüh'n, Op. 364 (1874, arr. for piano sextet)
Johann Strauss II (1825—1899):
An der schönen, blauen Donau, Op. 314 (1866, transcription for two pianos by Kempo Arai)
Johann Strauss I (1804—1849):
Radetzky-Marsch, Op. 228 (1848)
Johann Strauss II (1825—1899):
Geschichten aus dem Wienerwald (Tales from the Vienna Woods), Op. 325 (1868, arr. for string quintet by William Zinn)
Johann Strauss II (1825—1899):
Tritsch-Tratsch Polka, Op. 214 for piano (1858)
Johann Strauss II (1825—1899):
Polka Unter Donner und Blitz, Op. 324 (1868)
Tales of the unexpected
10.00 Salakamari
The Heart of the Day
Introduction in Finnish
Outi Tarkiainen (1985—):
Thy Words, Submerged in Stone for cello (2011)
46. 11.00 Kuhmo Church €23/19
Des Knaben Wunderhorn
Franz Liszt (1811—1886):
Der Wanderer from 12 Lieder von Franz Schubert, S. 558 for piano (1837-38)
Christian Sinding (1856—1941):
Lieder aus Des Knaben Wunderhorn, Op. 15 (1888)
Robert Schumann (1810—1856):
Der Knabe mit dem Wunderhorn, Op. 30/1 (1840, transcription by Clara Schumann)
Gustav Mahler (1860—1911):
Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen (1884, arr. Arnold Schönberg 1919)
47. 14.00 Tuupala Primary School €23/19
Mirror mirror
Clara Schumann (1819—1896):
Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 7 (edited by R. Schumann)
György Kurtág (1926—):
Hommage à R. Sch., Op. 15d for clarinet, viola and piano (1990)
Robert Schumann (1810—1856):
Piano Quintet in E flat, Op. 44 (1842)
48. 16.15 Kuhmo Church €23/19
Autumn songs
Toshio Hosokawa (1955—):
Herbst-Lied for clarinet and string quartet (2001)
Tōru Takemitsu (1930—1996):
Herbstlied (Autumn Song) (1993, arr. from the Seasons, Op. 37a by P. Tchaikovsky)
Johannes Brahms (1833—1897):
Clarinet Quintet in B minor, Op. 115 (1891)
49. 18.30 Kuhmo Arts Centre €28/21
Fish tales
Osvaldo Golijov (1960—):
Fish Tale for flute and guitar (1998)
Claude Debussy (1862—1918):
Poissons d'or No. 3 from Images, series II for piano (1907)
Camille Saint-Saëns (1835—1921):
Aquarium from the Carnival of Animals (1886)
George Crumb (1929—2022):
Vox balaenae for amplified flute, cello and piano (1971)
Intermission
Franz Schubert (1797—1828):
Piano Quintet in A, D. 667 'Trout' (1819)
THIS CONCERT’S FRIEND IS THE PATRONS’ ASSOCIATION OF THE KUHMO CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL.
50. 21.30 Kuhmo Arts Centre €23/19
Love actually
Franz Waxman (1906—1967):
Love Music from Richard Wagner's opera Tristan and Isolde for violin and piano (1945)
Franz Liszt (1811—1886):
Liebesträume in A flat, S. 541/3 for piano (1843-50)
Osvaldo Golijov (1960—):
Omaramor for solo cello (1991)
’My Beloved Clara, I wish I could write to you as tenderly as I love you and tell you all the good things that I wish you. You are so infinitely dear to me, dearer than I can say. I should like to spend the whole day calling you endearing names and paying you compliments without ever being satisfied.’
Johannes Brahms in a letter to Clara
Robert Schumann (1810—1856):
Einfach, innig from Three Romances, Op. 94 for oboe and piano (1849)
Clara Schumann (1819—1896):
Andante molto from Three Romances, Op. 22 for violin and piano (1853)
Johannes Brahms (1833—1897):
Intermezzo in A minor, Op. 118/2 from Six Pieces for piano (1893)
Sergey Prokofiev (1891—1953):
March from the opera the Love for the Three Oranges, Op. 33 (1919)
The orient express from one century to another
10.00 Kuhmo Arts Centre/Cafeteria Juttua
The Heart of the Day
Introduction in English
51. 11.00 Kuhmo Arts Centre €23/19
From Paris
George Enescu (1881—1955):
Choral and Carillon nocturne from Suite Pièces impromptues, Op. 18 for piano (1913-16)
Darius Milhaud (1892—1974):
Scaramouche, Op. 165b, Suite for two pianos (1936)
Maurice Ravel (1875—1937):
Introduction and Allegro, Op. 46 for flute, clarinet, harp and string quartet (1905)
Astor Piazzolla (1921—1992):
Three Minutes with Reality
Astor Piazzolla (1921—1992):
Jeanne & Paul (arr. for violin and bandoneon)
52. 13.00 Tuupala Primary School €10
Chamber Music Workshop
J. S. Bach (1685—1750):
Selection of the Goldberg Variations (arr. for string trio in various style by Yuval Gotlibovich)
53. 15.00 Tuupala Primary School €23/19
Vienna
Franz Schubert (1797—1828):
Sonatina in D, D. 384 for violin and piano (1816)
Anton Webern (1883—1945):
Langsamer Satz for string quartet (1905)
Johannes Brahms (1833—1897):
Piano Quartet No. 1 in G minor, Op. 25 (1861)
54. 18.00 Kuhmo Arts Centre €28/21
Johann Strauss II (1825—1899):
Éljen a Magyar! (Long live the Magyar!) Polka, Op. 332 (1869, arr. for clarinet and piano by Marko Hilpo 2020)
Johannes Brahms (1833—1897):
Hungarian Dances Nos. 20, 1 and 5 (1880, arr. for violin and piano by Joseph Joachim)
Béla Bartók (1881—1945):
Sonata for two pianos and percussion, BB 115 (1937)
Intermission
Johann Strauss II (1825—1899):
Klänge aus der Walachei, Op. 50 for piano (1848)
Béla Bartók (1881—1945):
Six Romanian Folk Dances (arr. for violin and piano Z. Székely 1925-26)
Johann Strauss II (1825—1899):
Märchen aus dem Orient, Op. 444 (1892)
Osvaldo Golijov (1960—):
Misirlou Twist for string quartet and drums
Rabih Abou-Khalil (1957—):
Arabian Waltz for string quartet
55. 21.15 Kuhmo Church €23/19**
Back to Paris
John Cage (1912—1992):
Dream (1948)
Edgard Varèse (1883—1965):
Density 21.5 for flute (1936)
Benjamin Britten (1913—1976):
Interlude from A Ceremony of Carols, Op. 28 for harp
Maurice Ravel (1875—1937):
Pavane pour une infante défunte (1899, arr. for flute and harp)
Gabriel Fauré (1845—1924):
Une châtelaine en sa tour, Op. 110 for harp (1918)
Kaija Saariaho (1952—):
Laconisme de l'aile for flute (1982)
Claude Debussy (1862—1918):
Golliwogg's cake walk from the Suite Children's Corner for flute and harp (1906-08)
Dance of the blessed spirits
10.00 Kuhmo Arts Centre/Cafeteria Juttua
The Heart of the day
Aylen Pritchin talks about F. A. E. Sonata (in English).
56. 11.00 Kuhmo Arts Centre €23/19
Slavic melancholic dances
Sergey Rachmaninoff (1873—1943):
Non allegro from Symphonic Dance, Op. 45 (1940, arr. for two pianos by composer)
Antonín Dvořák (1841—1904):
Slavische Tänze, Op. 46 Nos. 2, 5, 6 and 8 (1878)
Pyotr Tchaikovsky (1840—1893):
Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy from the Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71a
Igor Stravinsky (1882—1971):
Russian Dance from Petrushka (1910-11, arr. for violin and piano)
Alfred Schnittke (1934—1998):
Tango from Agony (1974, arr. for flute, clarinet, guitar, celesta, piano and string quintet 2017)
57. 15.00 Tuupala Primary School €23/19
Davidsbündlerstänze
Robert Schumann (1810—1856):
Davidsbündlerstänze (Dances of the League of David), Op. 6 for piano (1834-36)
Robert Schumann-Johannes Brahms-Albert Dietrich (—):
F.A.E. Sonata (Frei aber einsam) for violin and piano (1853)
58. 18.00 Kuhmo Arts Centre €28/21
Dance of the blessed spirits
J. S. Bach (1685—1750):
Erbarme dich, mein Gott, aria from Matthäus-Passion, BWV 244 (1727)
Christoph Willibald Gluck (1714—1787):
Dance of the Blessed Spirits from Orpheus and Eurydice
Jean Sibelius (1865—1957):
Cinq danses champêtres (Five Country Dances), Op. 106 for violin and piano (1925)
Claude Debussy (1862—1918):
Danse sacrée et Danse profane for harp and strings (1904)
Intermission
Terry Riley (1935—):
Half-Wolf Dances Mad in Moonlight from Anthem of the Great Spirit for string quartet
Bohuslav Martinů (1890—1959):
Tango and Charleston from La revue de cuisine (1927)
Marcelo Nisinman (1970—):
From the New World (Finnish premier)
Osvaldo Golijov (1960—):
Last Round for string ensemble (1996)
George Gershwin (1898—1937):
Variations 'I Got Rhythm' for piano and chamber orchestra (1933-34, arr. by Iain Farrington)
59. 18.30 Original Sokos Hotel Valjus €23/19**
Kauppakatu 20, Kajaani (Driving time from Kuhmo approx. 1½ hours)
Toivo Kuula (1883—1918):
Three South Ostrobothnian Dances, Op. 17a (1908, arr. for two violins by Minna Pensola)
Jouni Kaipainen (1956—2015):
Lullaby from Sonata, Op. 94 for two violins (2011)
The Readers' Digest Guide to the 24 Caprices, Op. 1
Kaija Saariaho (1952—):
Fleurs irrégulières for two violins
Wiljami Anttikainen (alias Vladimir Mendelssohn) (1949—2021):
Lupine for Antti and Minna, composed on a napkin at a pizzeria in Cividale 2017
Kaija Saariaho (1952—):
Fleurs à 3 ou 6 pétales for two violins
Sergey Prokofiev (1891—1953):
Sonata in C, Op. 56 for two violins (1932)