Klaus Mäkelä to Release Debut Album THE COMPLETE SIBELIUS SYMPHONIES WITH THE OSLO PHILHARMONIC
The Oslo Philharmonic has been performing the music of Jean Sibelius for over 100 years, with the composer himself conducting three concerts of his music in 1921.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz Jan. 21, 2022
On March 25, 2022, Decca Classics will release Finnish conductor Klaus Mäkelä's debut album Sibelius, a complete cycle of Jean Sibelius' symphonies, plus the tone poem Tapiola and 3 Late Fragments. Mäkelä, who recently became the first conductor to sign to Decca since Riccardo Chailly, directs the Oslo Philharmonic, an orchestra with a deep, historic connection to the music of the Finnish composer.
The project began as a nine-month exploration of the Sibelius symphonies to mark Mäkelä's inaugural season with the Oslo Philharmonic as Chief Conductor but, with Covid cancellations, turned into a completely immersive recording project. With the orchestral season disrupted, Mäkelä and the orchestra devoted much of the Spring of 2021 to playing nothing but the music of Sibelius.
Says Mäkelä, "We played, played, played and then recorded. Sibelius' music, like that of any composer, is a language you have to learn and the circumstances under which we recorded actually played to our advantage."
The Oslo Philharmonic has been performing the music of Jean Sibelius for over 100 years, with the composer himself conducting three concerts of his music in 1921. Mäkelä taps into the orchestra's rich tradition of interpreting Sibelius' symphonic works in the century since. He refers to the "darkness, power and strength" in the ensemble's string playing, drawing a link with the Russian tradition instilled into the orchestra by former Chief Conductor Mariss Jansons.
Sibelius not only reimagined the structure and grammar of orchestral music at the turn of the 20th century, he was also the first composer to give the Nordic region its own musical language, distinct from the dominant German symphonic tradition at the time. Alongside artist Akseli Gallen-Kallela, Sibelius became a cultural icon in the Finnish Nationalist movement and interpretations of his works are inextricably linked to the distinguished line of conductors who grew up in Finland after the composer.
As a freelance cellist guesting in Helsinki's symphony orchestras, Mäkelä experienced Finland's Sibelius tradition first-hand. "I have great admiration for those colleagues who performed cycles before me and I learned precious lessons from those I played under," the conductor says.
Mäkelä studied conducting at the Sibelius Academy with Jorma Panula and cello with Marko Ylönen, Timo Hanhinen, and Hannu Kiiski. In addition to his work as Chief Conductor of the Oslo Philharmonic, he is Music Director of the Orchestra de Paris and Artistic Director of the Turku Music Festival. As a guest conductor, Mäkelä appears this season with orchestras including the Chicago Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, Concertgebouworkest, London Philharmonic, Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, and Münchner Philharmoniker.
The album release will be followed in May and June by the Oslo Philharmonic's first European tour with Mäkelä. In addition to complete Sibelius cycle residencies at the Vienna Konzerthaus and Hamburg Elbphilharmonie, they will perform Mahler at the Paris Philharmonie and join Norwegian soprano and fellow Decca artist, Lise Davidsen, on stage at the London Barbican.
Dominic Fyfe, Label Director of Decca Classics, says, "Klaus is only the third conductor to have signed exclusively to Decca Classics in its 93 year history, following Solti in 1948 and Chailly in 1978. He is a born conductor: confident, charismatic but also a musician's musician. He has authority without arrogance and a knowledge of the music and sensitivity to the psychology of playing which has won him the respect of orchestras worldwide."
Sibelius is released on Decca Classics on March 25, 2022. For Mäkelä's latest performance dates, visit https://klausmakela.com/schedule/.
Sibelius Tracklist (4 CDs)
Jean Sibelius - Symphony No 1 in E minor, Op.39
1. i. Andante, ma non troppo - Allegro energico
2. ii. Andante (ma non troppo lento)
3. iii. Scherzo: Allegro
4. iv. Finale: Quasi una fantasia (Andante - Allegro molto)
Jean Sibelius - Symphony No 2 in D Major, Op.43
5. i. Allegretto
6. ii. Tempo andante, ma rubato
7. iii. Vivaccissimo
8. iv. Finale: Allegro Moderato
Jean Sibelius - Symphony No 3 in C Major, Op.52
9 i. Allegro Moderato
10. ii. Andantino con moto, quasi allegretto
11. iii. Moderato - Allegro (ma non tanto)
Jean Sibelius - Symphony No 4 in A minor, Op.63
12. i. Tempo molto moderato, quasi adagio
13. ii. Allegro molto vivace
14. iii. Il tempo largo
15. iv. Allegro
Jean Sibelius - Symphony No 5 in E-flat Major, Op.82
16. i. Tempo molto moderato - Allegro moderato - Presto
17. ii. Andante mosso, quasi allegretto
18. iii. Allegro molto - Un pochettino largamente
Jean Sibelius - Symphony No 6 in D minor, Op.104
19. i. Allegro molto moderato
20. ii. Allegretto moderato
21. iii. Poco vivace
22. iv. Allegro molto
Jean Sibelius - Symphony No 7 in C major, Op.105
23. i. Adagio
24. ii. Vivaccissimo - Adagio
25. iii. Allegro molto moderato
26. iv. Vivace - Presto - Adagio
27. Jean Sibelius - Tapiola, Op.112
Jean Sibelius - 3 Late Fragments
28. i. HUL 1325
29. ii. HUL 1326/9
30. iii. Allegro moderato, HUL 1327/2
Spring 2022 US Tour Dates
April 14-15, 2022
Chicago Symphony Orchestra (Debut)
Link: https://cso.org/performances/21-22/cso-classical/the-firebird/
April 21, 22, 23, 2022
Cleveland Orchestra
Link: www.clevelandorchestra.com/attend/concerts-and-events/2122/severance/wk-17-Znaider-Plays-Sibelius/
April 28-29, 2022
San Francisco Symphony (Debut)
Link: www.sfsymphony.org/Buy-Tickets/2021-22/SHOSTAKOVICH-10
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