TOIVO KUULA (1883-1918): Works for Violin and Piano - Sonatas in E Minor, Op. 1 and in F, 5 Pieces, Op. 3a, 2 Pieces, Op. 22, Ut min väg i världen går, Elä itke impeni nuori, Pohjalainen tanssi, Kesäilta.

Description: The 1907 Op. 1 is a half-hour-long absolute delight. Whereas the single movement (the only one Kuula wrote) F major sonata of the previous year is a prentice piece couched in Germanic Romantic style, the Op. 1 has a truly personal voice which stems from the use of actual or self-invented folk material which, combined with traces of Sibelius (a one-time teacher of Kuula), leaves you seeing the midnight sun and smelling the thick pine-forests. The remaining short pieces are mostly adaptations of South Ostrobothnian folk songs or, in three cases, high-quality salon music. Nina Karmon (violin), Oliver Triendl (piano).