Season Concert 7: Sebastian Fagerlund & Christoffer Sundqvist

5:30 pm, Valohalli
PRE-CONCERT TALKS
Kuopio Symphony Orchestra
Eugene Tzigane, conductor
Christoffer Sundqvist, clarinet

Jaakko Kuusisto: Wiima, Op. 27 (2008/2011)
Sebastian Fagerlund: Clarinet Concerto No. 2 (2025)
Johannes Brahms: Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68 (1876)

Jaakko Kuusisto’s Wiima was originally commissioned by the Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra, and the work reflects the composer’s strong connection to the movement and light of Finnish nature. As its name suggests, Wiima depicts the flow of wind—its rapid changes of direction, lightness and sudden force. Kuusisto builds the music from bright harmonies, a rhythmic pulse and streamlined melodies that move through the orchestra like a current of air.

Clarinet Concerto No. 2 was written for Fagerlund’s longtime collaborator, Christoffer Sundqvist, whose virtuosity and expressive freedom have been key sources of inspiration. It is a powerful, multilayered work in constant motion, moving from dark, tense tones to bright, almost hypnotic textures. The rhythmic force and organically breathing form characteristic of Fagerlund’s music make the concerto an intense journey for both soloist and orchestra. This modern, strongly narrative work draws the listener into its ever-changing world.

Brahms’s Symphony No. 1 is one of the great symphonic landmarks of the Romantic era—a work that took the composer almost 20 years to write. This slowly matured masterpiece opens dramatically and tensely, then builds towards the light in a splendid finale where it blossoms fully. Beethoven’s symphonic legacy was both a source of inspiration and a tremendous pressure for Brahms. The master composer’s shadow loomed so large that Brahms hesitated for a long time before undertaking a symphony; its slow genesis reflects his desire to do justice to the tradition established by the master. This connection can be heard in the music: the symphony’s dramatic opening and monumental design reflect Beethoven’s influence, and the finale’s noble, hymn-like theme is often seen as a conscious dialogue with Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. Yet Brahms’s voice is entirely his own—he continues the symphonic tradition begun by Beethoven, but does so in his own warm, poetic and deeply human way.

Duration approximately 1 hour 50 minutes, including an interval. The concert is included in the season ticket and Mini Series 1.

Presented by Kuopio Symphony Orchestra

Tickets: €34.60 / €28.10 for pensioners and groups of at least 20 people / €10.60 for children under 16 and students