Kalevi Aho - Symphony No. 17 (Erkki Lasonpalo)

Information

Composer: Kalevi Aho

• Symphony No. 17 'Symphonic Frescoes'

Lahti Symphony Orchestra

Erkki Lasonpalo, conductor

Date: 2026

Label: BIS

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Kalevi Aho (born 1949) is renowned for his ambitious large-scale compositions, with his Symphony No. 17 exemplifying the full scope of his orchestral mastery. Scored for an expanded orchestra including rare instruments such as the lupophone and contraforte, the symphony unfolds in three movements: the introspective From the Deep, the eerie Scherzo macabre, and the reflective Distant Songs, which evokes temporal and cultural shifts before returning to the present. Premiered in 2019, the work was immediately recognized as a magnum opus, highlighting Aho’s ability to combine innovative orchestration with profound emotional and narrative depth.

Erkki Lasonpalo (born 1986 in Lahti) is a leading Finnish conductor known for his technical fluency and communicative artistry. Trained initially as a violinist at the Sibelius Academy and a member of the prize-winning Postiglione String Quartet, he studied conducting under Jorma Panula and Leif Segerstam. Lasonpalo has conducted most major Finnish orchestras, including the Helsinki Philharmonic and Finnish Radio Symphony, and has appeared internationally with ensembles such as the Gothenburg Symphony and Iceland Symphony. He has held leadership roles at the Helsinki Sinfonietta, Kemi City Orchestra, St. Michel Strings, Lappeenranta City Orchestra, and the Mikkeli Music Festival, where he continues to shape Finland’s orchestral and festival landscape.