Finnish works for violin and orchestra (cd)

This recording explores the emotional depth, colour, and inventiveness of Finnish concertante works for violin and orchestra. The pieces range across the transitional landscape of the country’s national music during the 20th century, where mysticism, modernism, folklore, and experimentation co-exist. Major figures such as Selim Palmgren and Aarre Merikanto are represented, as is charming film music by Einar Englund, written under a pseudonym. Distinctive works by Väinö Haapalainen, Väinö Raitio, and Nils-Eric Fougstedt complete the programme.