Oratorio Ante finem saeculi

Modern music on the Finlandia label comes from the Estonian composer. Erkki-Sven Tüür. (Born 1959). His composition style is strongly influenced by progressive rock and minimal music. The CD DBX3370 contains his oratorio Ante finem saecule and the second symphony for orchestra and tape. He received a prize for both compositions. The works of Toivo Kuula (1883-1918) have a completely different… sound idiom. This Finnish composer wrote many a cappella choral works in late Romantic nationalist style. The Tapiola Chamber Choir and friends of the Kuula Choir, conducted by Hannu Norjanen, recorded thirty works for mixed and female choir. In Finland these works belong to the standard repertoire of the choirs, but the reputation beyond the national borders has yet to grow (DFX0215). New Finnish choral works for male choir are on the CD Kinesis (DFX0216). The Helsinki University Choir has recorded compositions by Jouni Kaipainen, Paavo Heininen, Tapani Länsiö; Jukka Linkola and Jouko Linjama. Modern composition techniques are often combined with style elements from Baroque and Renaissance. (LW) _more