Sunday Symphony →[More:]

Kalevi Aho, Symphony No. 9 (for trombone and orchestra)
I. Andante - Vivace - Tempo I - Presto
II. Adagio - Poco più mosso - Appassionato - Poco meno mosso
III. Presto - Cadenza - Tempo I - Andantino - Tempo I

This is a symphony with many surprises in it - not least the surprising virtuosity of the trombone soloist, Christian Lindberg - so I rather don't say too much in advance. It seems to me that the first two movements make a balanced pair, with the first a nearly complete world of its own, and the second a reflective look back at the material from the first, in a rather romantic conception, as if from a distance, with nostalgia. the final movement tends to emphasize the virtuoso elements and feels like an extended coda to the work as a whole.

Despite the recent vintage, (it was written in 1993-1994), it's a truly beautiful and memorable work, and one I've listened to many times with only greater wonderment. I think Aho is one of the most exciting living composers, and if you're one to still buy CDs, the BIS recording of this work together with the cello concerto is a prize.

(Sorry for the large file sizes, but the movements run around 10 minutes each, and the mp3s are pretty high quality.)