Aho: Symphony No. 17 (Symphonic Frescoes)

The highly prolific Finnish composer Kalevi Aho regularly dedicates himself to large-scale compositions, in which he puts his entire artistic prowess to the test. Symphony No. 17 is an example of this tendency and represents his most ambitious orchestral work to date. The symphony requires a large orchestra, which also makes use of less common instruments such as the lupophone, a variant of the baritone oboe, and the contraforte, an acoustically enhanced contrabassoon. The first movement, "From the Deep," which can also be performed as an independent symphonic poem, creates a dark and profound atmosphere. The second movement, "Scherzo macabre," suggests a macabre dance of death. The finale, "Distant Songs," is characterized by musical shifts that evoke distant times, dances, and songs, before finally returning to the present. Following its triumphant premiere in 2019, the symphony was immediately hailed as a masterpiece within Kalevi Aho's oeuvre. The Lahti Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Erkki Lasonpalo, was the performer of this world-premiere recording. The composer attended the recording session.