Finnish composer Eero Hämeenniemi was born in 1951, but the two pieces recorded here, written in 1999 and 2001, reflect a musical aesthetic of an earlier epoch, and in fact could have been written before he was born. Hämeenniemi is skillful in his traditional musical development, there is little in the symphony to excite much passion. To call it workmanlike would be to understate the composer's craft, but its melodic and harmonic language and content lack the distinction to inspire repeated hearings. The deeply melancholy concerto is a much stronger and more expressive piece, and the viola's lines are lyrical and evocative. The concerto by itself would make the CD of interest to fans of contemporary Scandinavian music. The
Finnish Radio Symphony, conducted by
Sakari Oramo and
Hannu Lintu with violist Tommi Aalto, performs with energy and obvious conviction. The sound quality is clear and present.