Kimmo Hakola
Clarinet Concerto · Verdoyances crépuscules · Diamond Street
Kari Kriikku, clarinet · Finnish RSO · Sakari Oramo, conductor
Info & buy
The clarinet as a link between various cultures: Kari Kriikku performs short pieces of Jewish klezmer, Portuguese fado, Argentinean tango and Arab music
Track listing
13 tracks · 54:37Listen to samples on selected tracks.
László Draskóczy
- 1 Dances from Korond 4:24
Helmut Eisel
- 2 Babsi's Decision 2:56
Ora Bat Chaim
- 3 Deine Söhne seien gesegnet (May your sons be blessed) 3:32
Traditional
- 4 Nokh a glezl vayn (A second glass of wine) 3:08
Roberto Pansera
- 5 Dance of Joy 3:56
Traditional
- 6 Wedding Waltz 3:39
Astor Piazolla
- 7 Café 1930 7:22
- 8 Bordel 1900 3:48
Hani Mehanna
- 9 Mashaal 4:46
Riad Al-Sumbáti
- 10 Longa 2:43
Muhammed Al-Qasabgi
- 11 Dhikrayat 4:45
José Alfonso
- 12 Menino do Bairro Negro 4:20
Paulo Abreu Lima
- 13 Feira de Castro 5:18
About this recording
Kari Kriikku's passion for traditional folk music shines through his new album 'Bizarre Bazaar'. The eclectic programme showcases the use of the clarinet in Jewish klezmer, Portuguese fado, Argentinean tango and Arab music. "I have followed my instincts in gradually bringing together works from various cultures that have impressed me on my travels and then unabashedly adapted those works for concert use," says Kari Kriikku who performs here with the chamber orchestra Tapiola Sinfonietta and additional oud, qanun and laud players. The Finnish press praised their live performances as "vibrantly energetic and entertaining" (Helsingin Sanomat).
Hailed by press and public as one of the world's foremost clarinettists, Kari Kriikku is celebrated for his musical inventiveness and fresh attitude towards traditional performance. His versatility covers numerous periods, ranging from Mozart to contemporary music - he has been a muse to living composers such as Magnus Lindberg, Jukka Tiensuu and Kimmo Hakola.
Features
Booklet with liner notes in English and Finnish
Press
El clarinetista está sensacional, lo mismo que la orquesta, que hace gala de una extraordinaria versatilidad, y los arreglos funcionan a la perfección. Su audición es una autentica gozada.
Diverdi Magazine, Julio-Agosto 2010, Recomendado
Egal in welchen Gefilden er strandet, überall weiss dieser Virtuose aus dem hohen Norden mit seiner Klarinette in musikantischer Freude aufzuspielen, (...) indem Kriikku's Spiel viel eigene Identität, ja phasenweise auch mitreissende Grösse verströmt.
Stefan Pieper, Klassik-Heute.com, 21. September 2009, 10 • 9 • 9
The artists
Kari Kriikku
Hailed by the New York Times as “A physically flamboyant player of Olympian virtuosity…”, Kari Kriikku has been a living inspiration behind a great number of remarkable Finnish compositions for the clarinet. On stage and through recordings, he has championed concertos and chamber works written for him by Kimmo Hakola, Jouni Kaipainen, Magnus Lindberg, Uljas Pulkkis, Kaija Saariaho, and Jukka Tiensuu. Above all, Kari Kriikku has premiered the entire output for clarinet by Magnus Lindberg. His recording of the Clarinet Concerto earned him both a Gramophone Award and a BBC Music Magazine Award in 2006. Furthermore he has championed the clarinet works of Jukka Tiensuu. Both concerto works Puro (“brook”, or “Bach” in German) and Missa he has performed more than fifty times.
Tapiola Sinfonietta
The Tapiola Sinfonietta has established itself as Finland’s premier chamber orchestra. Founded as the Espoo City Orchestra in 1987, it currently has 44 members. The orchestra is known for its adventurous repertoire planning and has been widely acclaimed for nuanced performances across a wide range of eras and styles.
Also recommended
Magnus Lindberg
Clarinet Concerto · Gran Duo · Chorale
Kari Kriikku, clarinet · Finnish RSO · Sakari Oramo, conductor
Info & buy
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart & · Johann Melchior Molter
Clarinet Concertos
Kari Kriikku, clarinet · Tapiola Sinfonietta · John Storgårds, conductor
Info & buy