Malin Broman & Pekka Kuusisto

The Baltic Sea is where guillemots breed, three species of seal dive and white-tailed eagles spread their wings. The brackish water of the Baltic Sea laps the shores of nine countries. It is a sea that is almost completely landlocked, a sea that unites. A chamber musical voyage of discovery on such a sea will be full of variety, but we set sail under a common flag.

“Nearly all the countries that border the Baltic Sea are represented on our trip: Finland, Sweden, Estonia, Latvia and Germany. The cultural exchange between these countries has always come naturally,” says Sara Norling, one of the guides on our journey.

Bach’s Baroque music and Andrea Tarrodi’s Acanthes– which was first performed by violinists Pekka Kuusisto and Malin Broman in 2018 – may seem far apart, but despite the two composers’ different idioms, there are shared elements.

“Although the programme is very diverse in terms of style, folk music influences are found in each of the works performed. Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 ends in a gigue, and Andrea Tarrodi composed her airy, sonorous piece for Pekka and Malin. She refers to their respective backgrounds in Finnish and Swedish folk music, which both feature in the work. Even the Dance from Piano Quartet by the normally subdued Pēteris Vasks has a rhythmic drive inspired by Latvian folk music.

Sauli Zinoviev performed a piano concert he had written for Víkingur Ólafsson at Berwaldhallen as recently as in February. Conductor was Klaus Mäkelä. Recharged for strings premiered in April 2019, also under the baton of Klaus Mäkelä. The piece is dedicated to “The conductor hero of my life,” jokingly referring to whichever conductor happens to be conducting the work.

“Zinoviev composes accessible, colourful music. The finale of Recharged is passionate and intense.”

Arvo Pärt composed his breakthrough Spiegel im Spiegel before he left Estonia in the 1970s. It has become immensely popular, it has feature in innumerable television and film productions and is available for many different instrumentations. Performed here is the original version for violin and piano.

“The piece is simple with basic triads and a melody that slowly rises and repeatedly turns.”

Sara Norling will guide the Berwaldhallen and radio audiences on the journey together with Johan Korssell.

“We will attempt to say something about this wonderful music, but above all we want to emphasise the importance of the Baltic Sea as a bearer of culture. We will sail on little known waters together with the musicians, which involves some musical surprises and improvisations.

Text: Anna Hedelius