Download Kolnische Rundschau (9 October) SOUL, WARMTH AND JOY

Kolnische Rundschau (9 October)
SOUL, WARMTH AND JOY……
Pekka Kuusisto with the Irish Chamber Orchestra in the Philharmonie, Cologne.
Violinist Pekka Kuusisto gave a cheerful introductory language course to open the Irish Chamber
Orchestra’s performance. Einojuhani Rautavaara ….firstly, the audience in the Philharmonic Hall in
Cologne had to learn and repeat the name of this contemporary Finnish composer with its long
rolling Rrrr's and exaggerated Aaaa's! This certainly whetted the appetite of an almost packed
auditorium that came to hear his music. Not only is it the Finnish language that is hard to grasp for
us Germans, but also its Nordic folk music with its irregular rhythms, is a far cry from the all too
familiar German march. Pekka Kuusisto looked somewhat bat-like in a saggy cardigan which hung
from the shoulders.
An eclectic programme features Rautavaara’s Fiddlers (Pellimannit) interspersed with original 17th
century Finnish tunes by Samuel Rinda-Nickola. Accompanied by a passionately hit and kicked travel
harmonium, Kuusisto fiddled the melodies of Pelimannit, the Finnish Folk Fiddlers, and also the title
of the piece. Despite the orchestra making considerable efforts to tune their instruments, some
passages sounded as though performed in multiple keys. Rautavaara likes such estrangements along
with hard dynamic contrasts which sometimes allowed the sound to plunge into a triple piano as if
sucked away. Thanks to the smiling Kuusisto, this unique collection of dances and their
arrangements were very well received.
Bach in Finnish? During the Concerto for violin BWV 1042 a suspicion was raised that Bach could
have actually been Finnish! On the one hand, it is well documented that his cradle stood in the
German town of Eisenach, so it must have had something to do with Kuusisto’s interpretation: quite
possibly, similarities to the work by Rautavaara were intended. The ornamentations in particular
were a reminder of the unusual Folk melodies. Eventually, during the Double Concerto BWV 1043
the laid back tempi caused a slight lack of musical tension, despite the fact that concertmaster
Katherine Hunka , (who had invited her colleague to lead her glorious ensemble for this concert),
and soloist Pekka Kuusisto communicated with each other in a very sincere and heartfelt musical
dialogue.
What came across in Bartok's Divertimento Sz.113 with its dark and expansive Adagio applied for the
whole concert : A pleasant and competent violinist such as Pekka Kuusisto can sell even unwieldy
music with soul, warmth and joy.