Credits:

Juha Kangas

Description:

Pr Henrik Nordgrens Light of the Sky is considered one of the most distinctive works in Finnish music. Commissioned by the Kaustinen Cultural Committee to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the publication of the *Kalevala*, Nordgren drew on the stories of creation and the liberation of the sunas depicted in the *Kalevala*to compose a work consisting of five sections: Introduction, The Birds of Night and Day, The Banishment of the Moon-Eater, Deep in Manara, the Underworld, Where the Forces of Evil Hide the Light, and The Liberation of the Sun, Moon, and Stars. The orchestration is highly original. The orchestra features two string quintets, a woodwind quintet, two percussion sections, a harpsichord, and a piano, along with a childrens choir and a mixed choir, as well as soprano and tenor soloists. Furthermore, in search of the ancient sounds and colors of Finland, the piece incorporates five