Jean Sibelius
Early Chamber Music Vol. 2
Pekka Kuusisto, violin
Raija Kerppo, piano
Jean Sibelius Quartet
Track listing
12 tracks · 54:42Jean Sibelius
- Suite in E major for Violin and Piano 16:09
- 1 I. Allegro molto moderato 4:39
- 2 II. Quasi adagio 1:18
- 3 III. Allegro molto 1:53
- 4 IV. Più lento quasi andantino 3:10
- 5 V. Allegro brilliante 5:09
- 6 Adagio for String Quartet in D minor 11:12
- 7 Fugue for Martin Wegelius 5:26
- 8 Duo for Violin and Viola in C major 5:35
- Piano Trio in C major 15:40
- 9 I. Allegro 7:09
- 10 II. Andante 3:35
- 11 III. Allegro con brio 4:52
- 12 Water Drops for Violin and Cello 0:44
Features
Booklet with liner notes in English, German, French and Finnish
The artists
Pekka Kuusisto
Finnish violinist Pekka Kuusisto is one of the most versatile and distinctive musicians working today. Always demonstrating his extraordinary individuality and imagination, he is unusually free and fluid in his approach and has been acclaimed for the spontaneity and freshness in his playing. Setting Pekka Kuusisto apart from most other violinists of his generation is his desire and ability to improvise, and his love of playing many different styles of music, channeling the same intensity into each genre.
Raija Kerppo
Finnish pianist Raija Kerppo began her musical training at the conservatory of her hometown of Turku and continued under Professor Erik T. Tawaststjerna at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. She completed her studies with Martin Canin at The Juilliard School in New York. She received first prize at the national Maj Lind Piano Competition in Helsinki in 1986, and three years later won the top prize at the Nordic Piano Competition in Denmark.
Jean Sibelius Quartet
The Jean Sibelius Quartet - Yoshiko Arai and Jukka Pohjola (violins), Teemu Kupiainen (viola) and Seppo Kimanen (cello) - was formed in 1980 and granted the right by the Sibelius estate to use the name of the Master of Ainola. The following year already brought invitations to appear at several Finnish and Swedish music festivals. Since making its international breakthrough at the West Berlin Music Festival in 1983, it has visited most parts of Europe, India, China, South Korea, Chile, Japan and the United States. The Quartet was awarded a three-year grant by the Finnish state in 1985. In 1991 the Quartet won the prize of the Chilean music critics for the best performance by an international ensemble in Chile, and in 1998 the award of the international critics at the Cracow Contemporary Music Days.
