Erkki SALMENHAARA: Complete Music for Organ Solo
As composer, musicologist and critic, Erkki Salmenhaara (1941–2002) was one of the major figures in Finnish musical life in the second half of the twentieth century. His music for organ charts his stylistic evolution, from a modernism influenced by his teacher, György Ligeti, to triadic harmonies spiced with dissonance. Even so, all these works manifest his fondness for the ability of the organ to generate massive and powerful blocks of sound, giving this music a monumental character in keeping with the grand spaces of the buildings in which it is usually heard.
Jan Lehtola, organ of Turku Cathedral
Listen To This Recording:
-
Toccata (1965)
- I Pesante
- II Moderato
- III Misterioso – Grave
- Intrada
- I Prelude
- II Interlude
- III Postlude
- Canzona
- II Interlude
- I Introduction –
- II Toccata
Intrada (1967)
Prelude – Interlude – Postlude (1969)
Canzona (1971)
Ricercata (1977)
Introduction and Toccata (1985)*
*FIRST RECORDING
MusicWeb International :
‘This is a well-recorded and fine collection of organ works by an important name in 20th century Finnish music. I’ve had a hunt around and found an alternative Prelude-Interlude-Postlude on the Finlandia label but there’s not much else in the catalogue, and nothing that would beat this release for quality. The organ used is a fine instrument from 1980 by Veikko Virtanen Oy which seems perfect for this music, the acoustic of Turku Cathedral being spacious without being swampy. The slow character of much of the music makes it a good idea to dip in perhaps rather than go for a full sitting, but this depends on your own tastes and mood. I’ve enjoyed discovering these works, and have already gainfully started exploring Salmenhaara’s orchestral output as a result.’
—Dominy Clements, MusicWeb International