Luciano Berio: Sinfonia & Calmo

Ondine continues its exciting releases focusing on 20th c. masterpieces together with conductor Hannu Lintu and the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. After the successful of Ligeti (ODE 1213-2; Gramophone Editor’s Choice) and Messiaen (ODE 1251-5) recordings, the latest album is dedicated to orchestral works by the pioneer of Italian modernism, Luciano Berio (1925–2003). A highlight of this disc is Berio’s iconic 5-movement Sinfonia, undoubtedly his most well known work, written for the New York Philharmonic and dedicated to Leonard Bernstein. It has become one of the key works and principal musical manifestations of the 1960s, bringing together collage technique and modernism. The recording begins with Berio’s orchestral adaptation of Luigi Boccherini’s popular Ritirata Notturna di Madrid. This disc also includes Calmo for mezzo-soprano and 22 instruments written by Berio after the death of fellow composer and friend Bruno Maderna. The work is sung here by mezzo- soprano Virpi Ra¨isa¨nen, a singer acclaimed for his performances of 20th c. music and whose solo debut recording can be found on Ondine (ODE 1208-2).