Everything is in the music

In a lecture given in Tokyo in 1984 Takemitsu pointed out that programme notes were unnecessary, since a listener should hear everything in the music.
Naxos do quite wonderful things. But it is also fair to say that some of their recordings, particularly older ones, make understandable compromises in performance and technical quality. Not so this highly recommended 1997 disc. Conductor Okko Kamu, soloist Petri Alanko, orchestra Tapiola Sinfonietta, and recording venue Tapiola Concert Hall in Espoo (feel that bass!) are all out of the top drawer. Nice programme notes as well. But more words are unnecessary. Everything is in the music.

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Comments

Pliable said…
The Naxos CD inlay says - Recorded at the Tapiola Concert Hall, Helsinki. Surely that is a mistake?

Isn't the home of the Tapiola Sinfonietta in the Cultural Centre in Espoo, not Helsinki? Confusion is easy. Espoo is part of the Helsinki conurbation, but is actually a separate city, the second largest in Finland I believe.

That is why I wrote Tapiola Concert Hall, Espoo. I know the blog has a number of regular readers in the wonderfully musical country of Finland (I wish I could afford to visit it again). Please correct me if I am wrong.

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