Jukka-Pekka Saraste
Ava Bahari Rolf Wallin
Anders Hillborg
Jean Sibelius

This concert brings together three composers who, each in their own way, have explored the boundaries of music. The programme paints a picture of how composers from different eras have sought inspiration in everything from mathematical formulas and jazz and rock to the rhythms of nature and the flight of birds across Finnish forests. From the boundary-breaking Norwegian who combines algorithms with rock influences, through the Swedish explorer of sonorities who lets Bach meet modern virtuosity, to the Finnish master who transformed encounters with nature into timeless symphonic music.

Wallin: Commissioned work

Rolf Wallin (b. 1957) is a Norwegian composer, trumpeter and performance artist. He has received numerous awards for his compositions. He is known for his multifaceted compositional style and pushes the boundaries of the techniques used to compose a work. He draws on mathematical approaches, computers and inspiration from both jazz and rock.

For tonight's concert, Wallin has written a commissioned work for the Oslo Philharmonic, and we are invited to its world premiere. He has himself stated that the most important thing when encountering a new work is to come with open ears and an open mind.

Hillborg: Violin Concerto No. 2

Anders Hillborg's (b. 1954) second violin concerto was premiered in 2016. The soloist's first entry is an echo of Bach's Sarabande in D minor for solo violin. This slides directly into a powerful cadenza. The rest of the work explores sonorities, textures and musical contrasts.

The violin concerto alternates between energetic, captivating rhythmic passages and reflective, meditative moments. The calmer sections of the music have a dreamlike character, filling the room with transparent and airy sonorities.

Sibelius: Symphony No. 5

Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) was often inspired by nature in his compositions. He is said to have compared his Symphony No. 5 to a river. The metaphorical river is formed by many small streams that converge and then flow onward to the sea, growing ever mightier.

In the final movement, a theme is presented that has been nicknamed the Swan Hymn. Sibelius composed it after witnessing 16 swans flapping past overhead. In his diary he wrote: "They flew over me for a long time; it was a magnificent experience. When they disappeared, it was like a flying ribbon of silver."

Sibelius himself conducted the premiere of the symphony in Helsinki in 1919, and it has since become one of his most popular works.