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Aho: Moonlight Concerto; Alto Flute Concerto on SACD

This recording is dedicated to two recent concertos by

Kalevi Aho, one of Finland's foremost contemporary

composers. The author of a body of work as important

as it is varied, Aho enjoys collaborating with exceptional

soloists, for whom he composes works that highlight

their musical qualities, inventiveness and personality.

The Concerto for Alto Flute and Strings features an

instrument with a soft tone, well suited as a soloist with

a small orchestra of strings alone. The work is in six

movements played without interruption, and the soloist,

Sharon Bezaly, sometimes switches to the bass flute,

which brings a mystical feel to the music. The St Michel

Strings and their conductor, Erkki Lasonpalo, contribute

to the mysterious atmosphere in which lyrical and

dramatic episodes abound.

The Double Concerto for Viola, Percussion and

Orchestra, entitled 'Moonlight Concerto', was composed

at the initiative of a Berlin-based musician couple, violist

Hiyoli Togawa and percussionist Alexej Gerassimez.

Here we are immersed in a Japanese atmosphere that

reveals echoes of the 1,000-year-old tradition of

ritualistic gagaku music. In this work, the percussionist

plays instruments that are not usually heard in

orchestral concerts, such as the moon gong, the

waterphone, a hang drum and nine Thai gongs. The

Lahti Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Anja

Bihlmaier, provides the rich orchestral commentary.