Aled Jones talks to Jaakko Mäntyjärvi

[rauschwerk]

This should be really interesting to those interested in rare repertoire:-

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00zddlh

Mäntyjärvi is a fine composer himself, with a large catalogue of works, so it will be interesting to hear his composer's perspective on this music.

[ardcarp]

Just heard Aled's programme with JM, a very articulate interviewee. I've always been an admirer of the Northern European choral tradition, and it was interesting that JM made a clear distinction between the Scandinavian and the Finnish, Finland being closer to Russia but being linguistically neither Slav nor 'Norse'. JM made the point that the average Finn always associates choral music with some sort of 'messgae', either religious, nationalistic or political...which is not always healthy. He also says that Finland has, at the moment, no professional choir (the Radio Choir having been wound up some years ago) but that the amateur scene is thriving.

I've not always been able to appreciate the diffences between the various Baltic traditions, but to me they all seem to have the characteristic of a very 'clean', well blended sound; and the results are usually polished as if honed by much rehearsal.
We in the UK have a fine tradition too, but our smaller choirs at least (whether pro, semi-pro or good amateur) rely on more trained and coloured voices, belonging (one suspects) to peole who can sight-read very well and who probably don't rehearse enough! The chief difference lies in the North European tenors and basses who sing in a blander way but who nevertheless blend extremely well giving a more homogenous texture.

JM described his compositional style as being informed by his inside knowledge of choral singing. He called the choir 'his instrument'. I need to listen to more of his output before I can describe it adequately.

Anyone else hear the programme? Certainly worth a LA.

[decantor]

Yup, I listened while working vaguely at the computer. I agree that JM was capable of remarkably nuanced articulation in English - more so, perhaps, than his Welsh interviewer! There was also the feeling that one was listening to a deep thinker about music - there was a sort of musical wisdom, of which Fischer-Dieskau is a notable exponent. I was intrigued to learn that Finns still regard choral music as having a hidden agenda: I wonder if that is also true in the Baltic states, which also used their choral tradition to foster nationalism, and who shook off the oppressor so much more recently.

I found JM's own piece the most interesting on the playlist, though the late Finnish romantics, on whom the programme mainly focused, also produced some good noises. As for the choirs themselves, I too could not distinguish Finnish, Swedish, and Baltic characteristics, perhaps because we get so few chances to hear them. But on the whole it seems to me that they all produce a richer, darker blend than any UK choir, and this is especially apparent in the upper voices: the women (like the men) allow themselves virtually no vibrato, but rely rather on a denser vocalisation, as if a contralto's timbre were carried right through into the soprano range. I find it very appealing, and it seems to sit perfectly alongside the region's choral compositions.

I was glad to have heard the programme - not least because it contrasted well with the Symphony of Psalms immediately before (not to mention with the CE replay immediately before that!).

[DracoM]

Is it just me or is iPLayer shut down this a.m. [Monday,14th March]?

[french frank]

It's working at the moment.

[JoeG]

I really enjoyed this programme - though I love Sibelius it was good to hear some Finnish composers new to me.