This attractive disc offers a sampling of Finnish composer Väinö Raitio's (1891-1945) works for small orchestra, compositions representing his second period. During the early '20s, Raitio championed modernism, moving from an idiom inspired by Scriabin to atonality. In the early '30s, Raitio, having formulated a highly personal musical idiom, returned to tonality and added a subtle coloristic dimension to his writing. Among the first seven pieces, all charmingly and finely crafted, one must single out the splendid Scherzo (Felis domestica). Inspired by the composer's cat, this piece, with its gentle shifts from brisk movement to moments of languid repose, convincingly conjures up a few feline moments. The
Tapiola Sinfonietta, conducted by Tuomas Ollila, performs Raitio's miniatures with a rare blend of technical precision, tonal opulence, and a sensitivity to pictorial detail. For example, the beautifully descriptive Summer Pictures From Häme -- which introduces the listener to a world of memories, fleeting impressions, and treasured moments -- provides the performer with an opportunity to illuminate and tastefully connect the many narrative strands of Raitio's music. Precise and imprecise, clearly etched yet suggestive of pastel hues, Raitio's music is a challenge to any performer. The
Tapiola Sinfonietta rises to the challenge, performing his compositions with authority, charm, and imagination.