Jouni Kaipainen
Symphony No. 3
Bassoon Concerto
Otto Virtanen, bassoon
Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra
Hannu Lintu, conductor
"Top-flight performances of bracing new scores from Finland" (Gramophone)
Track listing
8 tracks · 101:35Listen to samples on selected tracks.
Jouni Kaipainen
- Symphony No. 3, Op. 72 (2004) 45:43
- 1 I. Allegro con brio 15:21
- 2 II. Adagio misterioso 18:13
- 3 III. Allegro 12:08
- Concerto for Bassoon and Orchestra, Op. 74 (2005) 27:58
- 4 I. Andante; commodo, ma triste - Allegro con spirito 11:41
- 5 II. Pas de deux. Andante mosso, quasi allegretto 5:00
- 6 III. Largo sognando 6:25
- 7 IV. Presto 4:49
- 8 Concerto for Bassoon and Orchestra, Op. 74 (2005) 27:58
About this recording
Jouni Kaipainen is one of the most important Finnish composers active over the last 30 years, and he belongs to the same generation as Magnus Lindberg and Kaija Saariaho. This CD, to celebrate his 50th birthday, uses the same performers as the world première, all with close artistic ties to the composer (who is the Tampere Philharmonic's Composer-in-Residence), all with strong contemporary repertoire pedigrees. These two première recordings of Kaipainen's recent works, the Third Symphony and the Bassoon Concerto, exhibit the composer's classical and melodic style of the early/mid 2000s. Described by the Finnish press as "energetic, intense, virtuoso, ecstatic - abundantly voluptous", the Third Symphony is one of Kaipainen's finest works. The Bassoon Concerto is Kaipainen's latest in an extensive series of solo concertos.
Features
Booklet with liner notes in English, German, French and Finnish
Press
For me, this release is a keeper. (...) An enthusiastic thumbs up.
Jerry Dubins, Fanfare Magazine, September/October 2007
If you enjoy big, hairy, colorful, exuberant, generously overscored, quasi-tonal modern symphonies, than you'll love this ebullient example from Jouni Kaipainen. Excellent sonics match the enthusiasm of the performances. Great fun!
David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com, April 2007, Artistic Quality 9 / Sound Quality 9
Top-flight performances of bracing new scores from Finland. (...) The Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra's playing is electrifying, superbly marshalled by Hannu Lintu, with Otto Virtanen the exemplary soloist. Ondine's sound is of demonstration quality. Splendid.
Guy Rickards, Gramophone, March 2007, Editor's Choice
The artists
Otto Virtanen
Otto Virtanen began his music studies on the piano with Vesa-Matti Tastula at the Ylä-Satakunta music school at the age of six. He has been studying the bassoon since the age of 15 with Stig Forsman at the Tampere Conservatory, with László Hara and Jussi Särkkä at the Sibelius Academy, with Asger Svendsen at the Danish Royal Academy of Music and with Pascal Gallois at the Paris Conservatory. He completed his diploma examination with excellent marks in 1997, completed his Master of Music degree in 2000 and gave his début recital in the Sibelius Academy concert series in spring 2002. He played bassoon with the Helsinki Philharmonic from 1995 to 1999 and with the Tampere Philharmonic from 1999 to 2004. Since autumn 2004, he has played 1st principal bassoon with the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra.
Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra
The Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra, comprising 97 musicians, is one of Scandinavia's leading symphony orchestras. In autumn 2013, young Finnish conductor Santtu-Matias Rouvali succeeded Hannu Lintu as new Chief Conductor and continued in his post until 2023.
Hannu Lintu
Hannu Lintu is one of Finland's most sought-after conductors and is rapidly creating a major international career. He has been Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra 2009-2013, and also Principal Guest Conductor of the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra in Dublin. Before assuming the new role of Chief Conductor of the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra from 2013 to 2021, he was the orchestra's Chief Guest Conductor in 2012. Hannu Lintu was previously Chief Conductor of the Turku Philharmonic Orchestra and Artistic Director of the Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra. He is a regular guest conductor with the Avanti! Chamber Orchestra in Finland and was Artistic Director of the orchestra's Summer Sounds festival in 2005. In November 2022, the Gulbenkian Orchestra announced the appointment of Lintu as its next chief conductor.