The first wave of modernism gained ground in Finland after the end of the Finnish Civil War. The composers whose works will be performed at the concert were revolutionary in their own time, and their music was met with a very mixed reception in spite of its high artistic standard. The field of Finnish art music suffered from growing pains, as modernist currents flooded in from Europe and major Russian cities. This concert paints a picture of this decade of revolutions.
Duo Ekho, that is, the soprano Marianne Montonen and the pianist Jasper Koekoek, started their collaboration at the beginning of 2018, and in October of the same year, they won third prize in the Helsinki Lied competition. They have since performed all over Finland, playing their extensive repertoire of lieder. The duo shares an interest in narrative and magical lied music. The music by the duo will be heard, for example, on an album presenting the entire body of lieder by Aarre Merikanto, to be released in 2022.
Program:
Ernest Pingoud (1887–1942):
Tystnad (Nikolai Gumiljov)
Tanke
Hjärtan fjärran och hjärtan nära
Ninon
Väinö Raitio (1891–1945):
Juninatt
Kuutamolla
Ljuset flämtar
Sulho Ranta (1901–1960):
Rarahu
Elmer Diktonius (1896–1961):
Aus den Himmelsaugen droben
Väntan
Kring valnötsträdets tomma grenar
Det första vårregnet
Ett stilla vatten
Aarre Merikanto (1893–1958):
Tule yö
Syyssonetti
Ekho
