STRAVINSKY – BARBICAN HALL, LONDON, ENGLAND

7 December 2016
BBC Symphony Orchestra

“Saraste’s concern for clarity paid many dividends (feathers ruffled), yet there was no lack of lyricism, tenderness or exquisiteness, and some passages were related directly back to Tchaikovsky; here were forest murmurs, lightness of touch for swiftness and plenty of drama, too, leading to an ‘Infernal Dance’ that was wild, not in speed but in temperament, menace accrued. Significantly, Saraste knocked a few minutes off the average Firebird-1910 timing, but that’s no indication of how each segment was persuasive and that everything belonged to everything else. Solos were full of character and the triumphal ending was glorious.”

…

“Saraste guided an impressive reading, alive to the Sturm und Drang and onomatopoeic aspects of the first movement… As virile and well-drilled as the opening Allegro spiritoso was, there was room for manoeuvre, as there was in the slow movement, turned and decorated to a nicety and warm-hearted. The Minuet was muscular, the piquant Trio at-one with its surrounds, and the Finale was ideally moderate in tempo so as to give the shortest notes a chance. There was no lack of joie de vivre, however, and this really was a thoroughly agreeable and ‘modern’ rendition of marvellous music.”

7 December 2016
Colin Anderson, Classical Source
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Dirigentenforum 2016

Masterclasses with Jukka-Pekka and WDR Sinfonieorchester
 
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BRUCKNER: SYMPHONY NO. 8

“Saraste leads the WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln in this performance for radio broadcast, and he states that it is a privilege to conduct this orchestra, which made many great Bruckner recordings under Günter Wand. If there is a little of Wand’s style in Saraste’s expansive phrasing and warm orchestral blend, it may be because he grew up listening to Wand’s recordings, so it’s fair to say that he is keeping a great tradition alive. The performance rates high marks for Saraste’s scrupulous interpretation and the orchestra’s committed playing”

AllMusic, Blair Sanderson, October 2016

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BERLIOZ – MAISON DE LA RADIO, PARIS, FRANCE

7 October 2016
Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Chœur de Radio France, Géraldine Chauvet, Yann Beuron, Henk Neven

“Jukka-Pekka Saraste on great form, knowing well how to bring out the best in the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, was the primary and magnificent architect of this exhilarating Roméo et Juliette.”

7 October 2016
Gilles Lesur, ConcertoNet

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OUT NOW

Jukka-Pekka and the WDR Sinfonieorchester release their recording of Bruckner’s Symphony No. 8 on the Profil Hänssler label

Reviews

Bartók – Going to the Roots of Music

Jukka-Pekka discusses this season’s composer-in-focus with the WDR Sinfonieorchester and the importance of seeking authentic musical roots and expression
 
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Mahler: Symphony No. 3 – Extract

Recorded live April 2016 – Kölner Philharmonie
WDR Sinfonieorchester
Conductor: Jukka-Pekka Saraste

“These vast spaces without gravity”

WDR Chief Conductor Jukka-Pekka Saraste on the Sibelius anniversary and his Sibelius concert at the Cologne Philharmonie

Mr. Saraste, you have just rehearsed Sibelius’ Fourth Symphony with the WDR Symphony Orchestra. Are German orchestras able to do Sibelius?
 
It always depends on the tradition. And it is obvious: The Fourth is still rather “new” in Germany – as opposed to the First or the Second or even the Seventh which contains much Wagner. But the Fourth is really difficult – the musical language is so “plain” and at the same time so profound – this has nothing to do with Brahms or Mahler.

Have you been able to make this accessible to the orchestra?

It gets better and better. We have done much Sibelius together after all. But once again: The Fourth is something special, in fact there is no model. It is somewhat similar to Webern – one has to find these exact sounds.
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TAMMISAARI FESTIVAL 2016

The Finnish Chamber Orchestra remembers Jouni Kaipainen at Tammisaari this year
 
 
 
 
 
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