Helvi Leiviskä Symphony No.1 (fp 1948)

[Alan Howe]

Included on the 2-CD set with Leiviskä's PC, her Symphony No.1 turns out to be a post-Sibelian (or maybe post-Melartinesque) work of considerable power, colour and vigour, superbly set out for the orchestra and beautifully realised here by Ari Rasilainen and the Staatskapelle Weimar. The coda to the finale is simply stunning in its splendour.

Kudos too to Hänssler Classic for the speedy release of the recording (made as recently as the end of April this year!)

[semloh]

Ah, yes - https://www.chandos.net/products/catalogue/HA%203050

Just checking on YT, I see that the Finlandia recording of the 3rd Symphony, Piano Quartet and Violin Sonata can be heard in full. The 3rd symphony is from 1971 and falls outside the scope of UC, but the sonata (1945) and the quartet (1926) are in romantic style, and the sonata's Larghetto con anima is particularly charming.

[Wheesht]

"Deutschlandfunk Kultur" radio is featuring the symphony in its "Die besondere Aufnahme" programme tonight, 26 August, at 10 pm German time.