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Cover: Leif Segerstam 80 Years – (Digital Album)

Leif Segerstam 80 Years

(Digital Album)

Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra
Turku Philharmonic Orchestra
Danish National Radio Symphony Orchestra
Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra

ODE 1470-2 · May 2024

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Track listing

20 tracks · 205:45

Einojuhani Rautavaara

  1. Before the Icons (1955/2005)
  2. 1 I. The Death of the Mother of God 3:29
  3. 2 II. Prayer 3:05
  4. Symphony No. 7 "Angel of Light" (1994)
  5. 3 III. Come un sogno 10:15

Jean Sibelius

  1. Symphony No. 5 in E flat major, Op. 82
  2. 4 III. Allegro molto - Largamente assai 9:50
  3. Lemminkäinen Legends, Op. 22
  4. 5 II. The Swan of Tuonela 9:56
  5. 6 Valse triste, Op. 44/1 5:48
  6. Kullervo, Op. 7
  7. 7 II. Kullervo's Youth. Grave 16:32

Aarre Merikanto

  1. 8 Intrada 5:47

Toivo Kuula

  1. South Ostrobothnian Suite No. 1, Op. 9
  2. 9 I. Landscape 7:03
  3. South Ostrobothnian Suite No. 2, Op. 20
  4. 10 I. The Bride Arrives 3:54
  5. 11 II. Rain in the Forest 4:33
  6. 12 V. Will-o'-the-Wisp 12:36

Erkki Melartin

  1. 13 Juhlamarssi näytelmästä Prinsessa Ruusunen (Festive March) 4:40

Einojuhani Rautavaara

  1. 14 Garden of Spaces 13:41
  2. Concerto for Birds and Orchestra "Cantus Arcticus" (1972)
  3. 15 III. Swans Migrating 8:19

Leif Segerstam

  1. 16 Flowerbouquette No. 43E 7:27
  2. 17 Symphony No. 181 “Names itself when played... = (raising the number with 100 for Bergen)” (2007) 22:35
  3. 18 Impressions of Nordic Nature No. 4 15:50

Jean Sibelius

  1. 19 Tapiola, Symphonic Poem for Orchestra, Op. 112 19:21
  2. 20 Symphony No. 7 in C major, Op. 105 21:04

About this recording

This digital compilation celebrates the 80th anniversary of conductor and composer Leif Segerstam’s (b. 1944) birth. Leif Segerstam graduated from the conducting class of the Juilliard School in 1965 and has ever since had a deep impact on the Finnish and Nordic contemporary music scene. Leif Segerstam has worked as the chief conductor of several Scandinavian orchestras, as well as the Deutsche Oper in Berlin and Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, and has conducted the premieres of countless of works in contemporary music. Leif Segerstam’s impressive discography on Ondine includes several award-winning recordings of music including the works of Jean Sibelius and Einojuhani Rautavaara. Alongside his busy conducting schedule, Segerstam has written more than 350 symphonies for orchestra and dozens of concertos. This compilation also includes samples of some of Segerstam’s own compositions.

The artists

Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra

The Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, the first professional symphony orchestra to be founded in the Nordic countries (1882), has grown from a band of 36 players to an orchestra of 102 regular members.

Full biography

Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra

One of the world's oldest orchestras, the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra dates back to 1765
and is celebrating its 250th anniversary in 2015. Edvard Grieg had a close relationship with the
Orchestra, serving as its artistic director during the years 1880-82. Edward Gardner, the acclaimed
Music Director of the English National Opera, has been appointed Chief Conductor for a three-year
tenure starting in October 2015, in succession to Andrew Litton, the Orchestra's Music Director
since 2003. Under Litton's direction the Orchestra has raised its international profile considerably,
through recordings, extensive touring, and international commissions. During the last few seasons the
orchestra has played in a series of prestigious venues, including the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, the
BBC Proms in the Royal Albert Hall, the Wiener Musikverein and Konzerthaus, Carnegie Hall, New York,
the Philharmonie, Berlin, Usher Hall, Edinburgh and Bridgewater Hall, Manchester. Upcoming tours
include returns to several of these venues.

Full biography

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