Lamentations

Pehr Henrik Nordgren (1944-2008)
LAMENTATIONS
Symphony for Strings Op. 43 (1978)
Concerto for Strings Op. 54 (1982)
The whole world will complain Op. 26b (1974)
Concerto for oboe and strings Op. 116 (2001)
Central Ostrobothnia Chamber Orchestra
Juha Kangas conductor
Anni Haapaniemi oboe
The Nordgren series is being completed
The Keski-Ostrobothnia Chamber Orchestra's new album LAMENTATIONS features four works by Pehr Henrik Nordgren:
Symphony for Strings Op. 43 (1978), in which, according to Kalevi Aho, the elegiac third movement is like a dirge - it evokes associations with the music of Shostakovich, whom Nordgren admired - and the last is sad. These parts were also played at Nordgren's funeral service in Kaustinen's church on September 7, 2008.
Concerto for Strings Op. 54 (1982) is dedicated to Juha Kankaa. Nordgren characterized the three-part work as having a fantasy-like structure, not made according to theoretical formulas
The whole world will complain Op. 26b (1974), an old Lapua hymn originally arranged for Kaustinen's youth orchestra, which Nordgren later arranged for a string orchestra. The first five notes of the chorale form an A minor chord when played together. This chord became Pehr Henrik Nordgren's 'life chord'.
Concerto for oboe and strings Op. 116 (2001), which Swedish Helén Jahren suggested to Nordgren to compose. The proposal brought back to Nordgren's mind the dream of his youth to compose for oboe and strings, "the most beautiful combination of instruments imaginable". Jahren introduced Nordgren to new playing techniques with the motto "the oboe is capable of more than just pastoral solos".
Anni Haapaniemi plays the oboe and strings as a soloist in the concert. LAMENTATIONS is Alba's fourth album containing purely Nordgren's music.
Pehr Henrik Nordgren (1944-2008) created an extensive symphonic production - among large orchestral works, e.g. eight symphonies. He composed thirty-one concertos for a wide variety of solo instruments. But above all, Nordgren became Finland's most prolific and prominent string orchestra composer. The collaboration between Pehr Henrik Nordgren and conductor Juha Kankaa became unique in Finnish music life and lasted until the composer's death.