Kalevi AHO (b. 1949)
Concerto for Trombone and Orchestra (2010) [31:42]
Concerto for Trumpet and Symphonic Wind Orchestra (2011) [31:41]
Jörgen van Rijen (trombone)
Alain De Rudder (trumpet)
Antwerp Symphony Orchestra/Martyn Brabbins
rec. 2015, deSingel, Antwerp, Belgium
Reviewed as a 24/96 download from
eClassical
Pdf booklet included
BIS BIS-2196 SACD
[64:18]
The number of Aho recordings has grown substantially since my 2009 MusicWeb
survey,
The Music of Kalevi Aho.
Initially, that focused on BIS releases, as the label’s championed this
composer’s work from the start – eClassical lists 35 albums so far – but
others are showing interest, too. Which is why we’ve now set up a
dedicated, easy-reference
index,
with links to every single Aho review published by MWI. Our feisty Finn,
70 this year, is a fast worker – I
reviewed
three of his latest albums just a few months ago – so all credit to BIS for
recording his new pieces with commendable speed. Even then, there’s still a
lot waiting in the wings.
In the past I’ve characterised Aho’s output as ‘finely crafted … and
utterly accessible’, and having heard or reviewed nearly all of his
recordings to date I feel that’s a fair assessment of his method. True,
some pieces are more challenging than others, but there’s nothing that
could be construed as truly ‘difficult’. That’s not to say Aho is formulaic
or anodyne, for he has a way of adding a twist to familiar genres that
always engages and, quite often, intrigues. And what a meticulous approach
he takes to his art; in the concertos, for example, Aho makes it his
business to understand the range and unique character of the solo
instrument in question. (Indeed, there can’t be many he hasn’t
written for.)
As so often, this trombone concerto is the result of a specific
request, in this case from Jörgen van Rijen, principal trombonist of both
the Concertgebouw and the Lucerne Festival Orchestra. The trumpet concerto,
which had a longer, more complicated gestation, ended up as a three-way
commission from the Finnish symphonic wind orchestra, Sisu, the
Helsinki-based Guards Band and what was then the Royal Flemish Philharmonic
(now the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra). Alain De Rudder, the soloist here, is
the ASO’s principal trumpet. Both players are new to me, but conductor
Martyn Brabbins certainly isn’t. Well known in 20th-century repertoire, he’s
given us some fine recordings; for me, though, one of his greatest
achievements is that 2011 BBC Prom performance of Havergal Brian’s
monumental ‘Gothic’ Symphony (Hyperion).
Aho’s Symphony No. 9 (BIS-706)
has a prominent trombone part, so it’s no surprise that the solo writing
in this concerto is so assured, the expressive range so wide. The sound has
startling presence and power, too, but then engineer Andreas Ruge is
working in the congenial acoustic of the orchestra’s old home, DeSingel,
rather than the less amenable ambience of their new one, the Koningin
Elisabethzaal. The band’s certainly in good form here, Brabbins a sure and
steady guide. As for van Rijen, his technique is beyond reproach. Most
rewarding, though, is the fact that Aho’s still at the top of his game, and
that there’s so much to relish in this splendid score, not least in the Presto, with its blend of virtuosity and good humour. But it’s the
deeply felt Adagio that makes the strongest impression, the
trombone’s mournful sonorities superbly caught. As for the now ebullient,
now enigmatic finale, it brims with energy and imagination.
No question, that’s one of the finest Aho pieces I’ve heard in a long time;
indeed, it whetted my appetite for the coupling, written a year later. It’s
a darker, more brooding work whose solo part brings to mind the urban
solitude of Michael Daugerty’s
Sunset Strip.
That said, the dirge-like moments of the Misterioso are something
else entirely. Highly atmospheric music, this, with telling touches that
tease the ear at every turn. The buoyant Vivace finds De Rudder at
his animated best, his prowess a wonder to behold. Happily, it’s not just
about showmanship, as there’s plenty of finesse and feeling to be had as
well, not least in the lovely Intermezzo e cadenza. And, thanks to
engineer Nora Brandenburg, perspectives are ideal, the level of fine detail
simply breathtaking. The closing Capriccio, rhythmically adept and
replete with so tantalising timbres, is a perfect sign-off, for it left me
longing for more.
What a gorgeous album this is, and how committed the soloists and
orchestra. As for Brabbins, he seems a good fit for this composer’s music,
just like Osmo Vänskä and John Storgårds before him. Indeed, I very much
hope he’ll feature in forthcoming Aho releases. The composer’s clear,
unpretentious liner-notes are a regular, most welcome bonus.
Two premium-quality concertos, stylishly played and magnificently recorded;
Aho and BIS at their considerable best.
Dan Morgan
