Almila, Atso / Nordgren, Pehr Henrik / Kokkonen, Joonas / Arktinen Hysteria : Arctic Hysteria

Almila - Nordgren - Kokkonen

Arctic Hysteria

Wind Quintet Arctic Hysteria

Matti Närhinsalo flute

Anni Haapaniemi oboe

Christoffer Sundqvist clarinet

Tommi Hyytinen horn

Ann-Louise Wägar bassoon

The best Finnish wind quintet music of our time interpreted by our leading musicians

This album, Arctic Hysteria, features interesting works by three Finnish composers, Atso Almila, Pehr Henrik Nordgren and Joonas Kokkonen, for wind quintet as interpretations of Arctic Hysteria.

Atso Almila's (b. 1953) Wind Quintet II Arctic Hysteria (2006) is dedicated to the Arctic Hysteria quintet. The English titles of the pieces contain hidden meanings and enigmas that are difficult and, according to the composer, unnecessary to translate into Finnish (New Thousand and Six, Neither and Nor, Name of the Blame, No One's Lullaby, Never Never Everland, Arctic Hysteria). Pehr Henrik Nordgren's (1944-2008) The Good Samaritan for wind quintet Op. 141 (2007) is a late example of Nordgren's desire to tell powerful stories with his music, which had already emerged in the 1970s. Nordgren's Wind Quintet No. 2 Op. 22 (1975) has distanced itself far from Finnishness. It does not have a separate name, nor do its three movements. The work was written at a time when, in addition to Japanese influences, minimalism had become part of the composer's repertoire. Joonas Kokkonen (1921-1996) said that he trained himself by composing chamber music, and the Quintet for flute, oboe, clarinet, horn and bassoon from 1973 can be considered a concrete example of this.

The repertoire of the Wind Quintet Arctic Hysteria includes, in addition to the classic basic works of wind quintets, a great deal of contemporary music from both the world and Finland. It has premiered, among others, P.H. Nordgren's 3rd Wind Quintet and the quintet Arctic Hysteria, commissioned by Atso Almila for this ensemble and dedicated to Crusell Week, which is also featured on this recording.

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Arctic Hysteria - Wind Quintet at its best

"Atso Almila's Arctic Hysteria Quintet is a prime example of how four woodwinds and one brass instrument play together in a subtle yet rich manner. The piece was composed for the Arctic Hysteria Wind Quintet, which also demonstrates its refined, stylish expertise in Joonas Kokkonen's classically focused quintet and Pehr Henrik Nordgren's late Laupiaa Samaritan op. 141 and early quintet op. 22."

Jukka Isopuro/Helsingin Sanomat