Of all the Finnish successors to Sibelius, Uuno Klami (1900-61) followed most closely in the master’s footsteps, both in idiom and in finding inspiration in the national epic, the Kalevala. Several discs of his music have already appeared, but this is the premiere recording of these two symphonies. No. 2 is a powerfully sombre wartime work full of engaging melodic and harmonic ideas: the long opening movement has a strong Sibelian dramatic momentum. The more impressionistic Symphonie enfantine dates from 1928 and reflects a year of study in Paris earlier in the decade. The Tampere orchestra is a fine ensemble, with a full bodied string sound, biting brass and refined woodwind, all caught with richness by Ondine’s sound engineering. Performance: **** Sound: ****
