“Korpijaakko is clearly at home with the musical possibilities of the guitar with the solo guitar sonata Kimberley (2006), a standout as one of the most remarkable works of recent years for solo guitar composed in Finland.”
So writes a critic in FMQ, Finnish Music Quarterly.
Intriguing, no?
Here is a CD of guitar music by the Finnish guitarist and composer Paavo Korpijaakko performed Petri Kumela by which I think deserves to be better known
Here is a list of his works, including the tremendous La luna di paradiso (2010) for 100 guitars!
“Petri Kumela plays with breathtaking virtuosity and intensity throughout. He plays as if he has a proprietary interest in this music, and of course he does. Beautifully deep plush surround sound from Alba makes this even more a program and composer worth exploring for the adventurously inclined.”
Read the full review by Lee Passarella here
Listen to some samples here
Petri Kumela playing the third movement of Korpijaakko’s Sonata, mysteriously named “Kimberley”
Here is s programme of Kumela’s when he played at the South Bank in London, sponsored by the Latin American and Caribbean Cultural Society! They are a good lot, also hosting Sean Shibe’s win at the Royal Overseas League Competition.
The programme contains a few unfamiliar names – Wennäkoski, Pulkkis, Mylärinnen, Yli-Salomäki, Talvitie and Michael Parsons all contributing to “Small Creatures, a musical encylopaedia in the making”. I’m beginning to feel I have led a sheltered life. Must go look them up!
Pingback: More Finnish touches | Gerald's Guitar Grab Bag