The Planets

Aged forty, Holst began writing his best-known work, The Planets. This large-scale, seven-movement suite was completed it in 1916. Holst was concerned that his musical evocation of the planets should not be confused with characters from classical mythology, such as Venus. Neither is there any connection with astronomy. The basis of Holst’s inspiration was the much more controversial subject of astrology. Each movement of Holst’s ambitious suite reflects the alleged influence of a particular planet in our solar system upon human character. The Planets is written for a very large orchestra including much percussion, two harps, celesta, organ, two sets of timpani, and rarer instruments such as bass flute, bass oboe and tenor tuba. Holst’s own practical experience as an orchestral musician was invaluable to Holst in the development of his own boldly imaginative orchestration.

Väinö Raitio was one of the composers in what is known as the first wave of Modernism in Finnish music. Raitio’s idiom was very modern for his time, and this together with his premature death coloured his reputation among Finnish composers and musicologists. Raitio’s music of the 1920s is often described as having been influenced by the Colourist-Expressionist style of Alexander Scriabin and by French Impressionism. Raitio was above all an uncompromising visionary as a composer. What we know of Raitio as a person is vague, and he remains an enigmatic figure. Contemporary descriptions of him outline a shy and misanthropic recluse. He was no doubt an eccentric, at once reserved and uncompromising. The fantastic title of Moonlight on Jupiter was inspired by a compelling vision of space travel and of the multiple moons of Jupiter. It is also interesting that among all his works this was the one that he liked the best. The manuscript score bears a dedication: “This tone poem I dedicate to my cat, which came from Korso. I sent it to Jupiter in October 1922. V.R.” Raitio loved cats more than people and his dedication was a major upset to his contemporaries. In subsequent decades, Moonlight on Jupiter has come to be appreciated as perhaps the most satisfactory among all of Raitio’s 1920s orchestral works.

The Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra (FRSO) is the orchestra of the Finnish Broadcasting Company (Yle), and its mission is to produce and promote Finnish musical culture. The Radio Orchestra of ten players founded in 1927 grew to symphony orchestra proportions in the 1960s. Its Chief Conductors have been Toivo Haapanen, Nils-Eric Fougstedt, Paavo Berglund, Okko Kamu, Leif Segerstam, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Sakari Oramo, Hannu Lintu, and as of autumn 2021 Nicholas Collon. In addition to the great Classical-Romantic masterpieces, the latest contemporary music is a major item in the repertoire of the FRSO, which each year premieres a number of Yle commissions. The FRSO has twice won a Gramophone Award: for its album of Lindberg’s Clarinet Concerto in 2006 and of Bartók Violin Concertos in 2018. Other distinctions have included BBC Music Magazine, Académie Charles Cros, MIDEM Classical awards and Grammy nominations in 2020 and 2021. Its album of tone poems and songs by Sibelius won an International Classical Music Award (ICMA) in 2018. In 2023, the orchestra was nominated for Gramophone’s Orchestra of the Year award and won a Gramophone Award for their Lotta Wennäkoski album.

British conductor Nicholas Collon is recognized for his elegant conducting style, searching musical intellect and inspirational music-making. He is Founder and Principal Conductor of Aurora Orchestra and has been Chief Conductor of the Finnish Radio Symphony since 2021 (renewed until 2028). He was Chief Conductor of the Residentie Orkest in Den Haag (latterly also Artistic Advisor) 2016–2021, and was Principal Guest of the Gürzenich Orchester from 2017–2022. With the Finnish Radio Symphony he has toured to the BBC Proms, Amsterdam Concertgebouw, and to Germany and Estonia. Collon leads the Aurora Orchestra at the BBC Proms every year in their hugely popular memorized performances. He regularly conducts orchestras such as the BBC Philharmonic (appearing at the BBC Proms), City of Birmingham Symphony, Orchestre National de France, Danish National Symphony, Frankfurt Radio Symphony and Dresden Philharmonic, and has also guested with Philharmonia, London Philharmonic, Minnesota Symphony, Toronto Symphony, Vienna Radio Symphony, Netherlands Radio Philharmonic, and Chamber Orchestra of Europe among many others. Collon has conducted over 250 new works, including the UK or world premieres of works by Unsuk Chin, Brett Dean, Phillip Glass, Colin Matthews, Anna Meredith, Nico Muhly, Olivier Messiaen, Krzysztof Penderecki, Mark-Anthony Turnage, Judith Weir, and Du Yun.

Sleeve notes in English and in Finnish

First CD recording of Raitio's Moonlight on Jupiter