Overtures from Finland Oulu Sinfonia & Rumon Gamba

• Jean Sibelius (1865 - 1957): Karelia Overture, Op. 10:
• 1 Sibelius: Karelia Overture, Op. 10 07:53
• Uuno Klami (1900 - 1961): Nummisuutarit:
• 2 Klami: Nummisuutarit 08:30
• Erkki Melartin (1875 - 1937): Overture to "Prinsessa Ruusunen", Op. 22 No. 30:
• 3 Melartin: Overture to "Prinsessa Ruusunen", Op. 22 No. 30 05:07
• Leevi Madetoja (1887 - 1947): Comedy Overture, Op. 53:
• 4 Madetoja: Comedy Overture, Op. 53 07:40
• Armas Jarnefelt (1869 - 1958): Ouverture lyrique:
• 5 Jarnefelt: Ouverture lyrique 09:23
• Ernst Mielck (1877 - 1899): Dramatische Ouvertüre, Op. 6:
• 6 Mielck: Dramatische Ouvertüre, Op. 6 12:27
• Selim Palmgren (1878 - 1951): Overture from "Tuhkimo-Sarja", Op. 21:
• 7 Palmgren: Overture from "Tuhkimo-Sarja", Op. 21 04:32
• Robert Kajanus (1865 - 1933): Overtura sinfonica:
• 8 Kajanus: Overtura sinfonica 09:48
• Heino Kaski (1885 - 1957): Prélude, Op. 7 No. 1:
• 9 Kaski: Prélude, Op. 7 No. 1 03:20
• Armas Jarnefelt: Præludium:
• 10 Jarnefelt: Præludium 02:48
• Total Runtime 01:11:28

Info for Overtures from Finland

From the middle of the nineteenth century there was a blossoming of nationalism within the creative arts – very notably in music – in Finland that reflected the political mood in the country. From an international perspective, the dominant stature of Sibelius can often overshadow the wide-ranging works of his peers – something that this album goes some way to redressing. Robert Kajanus was the leading figure in Finnish music before Sibelius became established. His Overtura sinfonica is a late work, from 1926, which epitomises his style. Armas Järnefelt was a friend and fellow student of Sibelius, and eventually became his brother-in-law. Erkki Melartin wrote his incidental music for Prinsessa Ruusunen (Sleeping Beauty) for a production of Zachris Topelius’s fairy-tale play at the Finnish Theatre. Ernst Mielck (who cruelly died aged twenty-one) was mentored by Robert Kajanus, who also conducted the première of Mielck’s Dramatische Ouvertüre in Helsinki. Selim Palmgren was an acclaimed pianist and composer, and was eventually appointed Professor of Composition at the Eastman School of Music. The overture from his Tuhkimo-Sarja (Cinderella Suite) is particularly exotic. Another pianist-composer, Heino Kaski, spent his career as a teacher, leaving little time for composition. His Prélude is an orchestration of one of his most popular piano miniatures. The work of Uuno Klami is closer to European modernism, reflecting his studies in Paris and Vienna. Leevi Madetoja was perhaps the most talented of Sibelius’s small number of private pupils. His Comedy Overture is an orchestral tour-de-force, with echoes of Richard Strauss. He was a native of Oulu, the home of the Oulu Sinfonia, conducted here by its chief conductor, Rumon Gamba.

Oulu Sinfonia
Rumon Gamba, conductor

Oulu Sinfonia
is Finland’s northernmost symphony orchestra, originally founded in 1937 and municipalized in 1961. Present name, Oulu Sinfonia was adopted in 2005. The orchestra has 61 professional full-time musicians.

The repertoire of the Oulu Sinfonia is based on classical season concerts and completed with diverse contents such as opera, cinematic concerts, ethnomusic and jazz concerts as well as concerts for families and children. The orchestra also steps out of its home in various formations, to take its music to many locations around town.

The orchestra’s Chief Conductor since January 2022 has been Rumon Gamba, who took up the post after a long tenure by Johannes Gustavsson (2013–2021). During the past decades, the post of Artistic Director was held by been Urpo Pesonen, Paavo Rautio, Onni Kelo, Rauno Rännäli, Ari Angervo, Peeter Lilje, Arvo Volmer, Dmitri Slobodeniouk and Anna-Maria Helsing. Principal Guest Conductors have been John Storgårds, Susanna Mälkki and Jaakko Kuusisto.

Oulu Sinfonia has made several recordings, including the opera Messenius and Lucia by Olli Kortekangas (the orchestra’s composer-in-residence- from 1997 to 2009) as well as the whole orchestral production by Leevi Madetoja, an album of violin concertos by Uuno Klami and Einar Englund, opera arias by W. A. Mozart, guitar concertos by Kimmo Hakola and Toshio Hosokawa, an album full of rarely recorded music by the Swedish symphonist Ludvig Norman, rock artist Ismo Alanko’s pieces arranged for symphony orchestra and Sininen Pallo -album for children. In August 2023, under the baton of Rumon Gamba, they recorded Overtures From Finland, an album of Finnish overtures and in August 2024, Aili Ikonen & Oulu Sinfonia: Valo, featuring works by Aili Ikonen, also conducted by Rumon Gamba.

Rumon Gamba
British conductor Rumon Gamba, who has served as the Chief Conductor of Oulu Sinfonia since the beginning of 2022, has signed a contract extension with the orchestra. The new contract covers the years 2025–2026, with an option for 2027–2028. Gamba will conduct the orchestra in Oulu for at least eight weeks per year and will be responsible for artistic planning together with the orchestra’s General Manager.

“We are fortunate to continue a highly successful collaboration with Gamba. In recent years, Oulu Sinfonia has seen an influx of new musicians. It has been crucial that an experienced conductor like Rumon Gamba has worked with the orchestra during this inspiring transitional period and is willing to commit to continued collaboration with us,” says General Manager Maija Kuusisto.

Rumon Gamba has had a distinguished career as a guest conductor and chief conductor with several European orchestras, particularly in the Nordic countries. Before joining Oulu Sinfonia, Gamba served as the Chief Conductor of the Norrlandsoperan in Umeå, the Aalborg Symphony Orchestra in Denmark, and the Iceland Symphony Orchestra. Throughout his career, Gamba has recorded extensively and has been nominated for a Grammy Award twice for his recordings with Chandos Records. Oulu Sinfonia’s and Gamba’s first recording together, album titled Overtures from Finland, was released in August 2023.

“I want to continue to widen the orchestra’s repertoire and develop the connection with our wonderful audience. I want the audience to know they can come to listen to absolutely anything we do, regardless of whether they know the music or not, and be guaranteed an experience that is unique”, Gamba describes.

Also Kuusisto highlights Gamba’s unique relationship with the audience. “I appreciate his innovative and open approach to programming. We share a common goal of achieving significant artistic results in Oulu, and we are committed to jointly taking responsibility for that.”

Booklet for Overtures from Finland