Anthology of Finnish Piano Music, Vol. 5, VÄINO RAITIO (1891-1945): from Summer Idylls: Barcarolle and Pastorale, HELVI LEVISKÄ (1902-1982): Sonatina in F, TAUNO PYLKKÄNEN (1918-1980): Prelude, NILS-ERIC FOUGSTEDT (1910-1961): Variations chromatiques, ERNST PINGOUD (1887-1942): Tango oriental, EINARI MARVIA (1915-1997): In memoriam, Op. 7, YRJÖ KILPINEN (1892-1959): Sonata No. 6, Op. 81.
Catalogue Number: 01M044
Label: FC Records
Reference: FCRCD-9722
Format: CD
Price: $17.98
Description: Over half of this disc is taken up by Kilpinen's 35-minute sonata of 1939 (you thought he only wrote songs, right?), the last of six composed beginning in 1931, which shares much of contemporary Prokofievian angularity and spikiness. The Scriabinesque orchestral composer Pingoud is represented by a rare piano piece which is exotic but not as exotic as his orchestral works while Raitio, also known for modernism, contributes two Summer Idylls which have more than a whiff of French Impressionism mixed with Scriabin. Leisviska wrote her five-minute sonatina (two bright, neo-classical outer movements bracketing a surprisingly deep and introspective slow movement) in 1939. Two other song-specialists, Marvia (1937) and Pylkkänen (1940) contribute short piano pieces in turns numbingly somber and darkly romantic. Jouni Somero (piano).