Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and Percussionist Colin Currie Perform U.S. Premiere of Incantations, April 8-10

Conductor Hannu Lintu makes BSO debut leading Beethoven’s Seventh

Baltimore, Md. (February 19, 2010) – Finnish conductor Hannu Lintu will lead the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony on Thursday, April 8 at 8 p.m. and Friday, April 9 at 8 p.m. at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall and Saturday, April 10 at 8 p.m. at the Music Center at Strathmore. The program also includes features the United States premiere of Einojuhani Rautavaara’s Incantations featuring percussionist Colin Currie and the inspiration for this work, Sibelius’ Finlandia. Please see below for complete concert details.

In 2007, Colin Currie traveled to Finland to visit composer Einojuhani Rautavaara, in hopes that he would collaborate with him in a new percussion concerto. “I had already composed a sketch for the first movement [of Incantations]. I played it for him and [he] was enthusiastic about my ideas,” says Rautavaara of the meeting, in an interview with David Allenby. He then composed Incantations, which made its world premiere in London last fall. The piece consists of three movements, with parts for the marimba and vibraphone. Having both attended and taught at the Sibelius Academy, Rautavaara’s Incantations draws inspiration from this legendary Finnish composer.

Sibelius wrote Finlandia, one of his most famous compositions, to celebrate Finnish freedom. It begins with dark, ominous tones to convey the Finns’ hardships in the early 19th century as they strived for autonomy. As the tempo increases, the elegant melody of the woodwinds exemplifies their newfound pride and independence finally achieved in 1917.

Continuing the notion of victory and joyfulness, the program concludes with the energetic and spirited rhythm of Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony. An instant hit, the work premiered in an 1813 benefit concert to raise money for soldiers wounded at the Napoleonic battle of Hanau, and its optimistic tone gave hope to those living under Napoleon’s rule.

Hannu Lintu, conductor
Hannu Lintu is the chief conductor of the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra. In the United States, he has appeared with the Houston Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl, Milwaukee Symphony, National Symphony, New Jersey Symphony, Oregon Symphony, Pacific Symphony and the Utah Symphony. Upcoming debuts this season include the Atlanta, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Colorado, St. Louis and Toronto symphony orchestras.

Born in Finland, Mr. Lintu began his musical studies with the cello and piano at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. He continued there to study conducting with Eri Klas and Jorma Panula, and later at the Accademia Chigiana in Italy with Myung Whun Chung. In 1994, he was first-prize winner at the Nordic Conductor’s Competition in Bergen, Norway.

Colin Currie, percussion
Percussionist Colin Currie has established a unique reputation for his charismatic and virtuosic performances of works by today’s leading composers, and has appeared with many of the world’s most important orchestras, including the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and Philadelphia Orchestra. Regularly commissioning and recording new works, he has made an inspirational and innovative contribution to the percussion repertoire.

During the 2009-2010 season, Mr. Currie performs the world premiere of Einojuhani Rautavaara’s percussion concerto Incantations with the London Philharmonic and Yannick Nézet-Séguin, followed by performances with co-commissioners the Rotterdam Philharmonic, Tampere Philharmonic and Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Also in the U.S., he performs at Carnegie Hall with the St Louis Symphony and David Robertson in two concerti—Tan Dun’s Water Percussion Concerto and Bright Sheng’s Colors of Crimson—as part of the Ancient Paths, Modern Voices festival, which pays tribute to the vibrant culture and influence of China. He also performs in the North American premiere of Simon Holt’s a table of noises with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. In Europe, he performs in the opening concert of the 2009 Berlin Festival and at the BBC Proms in Xenakis’s Aïs, with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and David Robertson, as well as concerts with the BBC Philharmonic and Malmö Symphony.

 
COMPLETE CONCERT DETAILS
Classical Concert: Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony
Thursday, April 8, 2010 at 8 p.m. — Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall
Friday, April 9, 2010 at 8 p.m.—Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall
Saturday, April 10, 2010 at 8 p.m.—The Music Center at Strathmore 

Hannu Lintu, conductor †
Colin Currie, percussion
 
Sibelius: Finlandia
Einojuhani Rautavaara: Incantations ‡ (U.S. Premiere)
Beethoven: Symphony No. 7

† Denotes a BSO artist debut
‡ Denotes a BSO premiere

Tickets for these performances range from $25 to $85 and are available through the BSO Ticket Office, 877.BSO.1444, 410.783.8000 or BSOmusic.org.