Elina Viitasaari soittaa viulua

Local libraries host chamber music concerts

At our Philharmonic at the Library concerts, local residents can enjoy chamber music surrounded by books.

The chamber music tour jointly organised by the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra and the Helsinki City Library is kicking off for the seventh time, as HPO musicians pack up their music stands from the Musiikkitalo Concert Hall and set them up in libraries across Helsinki instead. The hugely popular Philharmonic at the Library tour begins on 2 November at Lauttasaari Library with a themed concert taking audiences to Buenos Aires and concludes on 27 November at Pasila Library, where letters will be sent to Julia. Between these two events, audiences can enjoy ten additional concerts in different parts of the city, from Herttoniemi to Etelä-Haaga and Kontula to Käpylä.

The roughly half-hour concerts begin in the libraries at noon or 6pm, and admission is free of charge. Seating is limited, however, so audience members are encouraged to arrive early.

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The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires

  • MON 2.11 at 12 Lauttasaaren kirjasto / Lauttasaari Library
  • TUE 3.11 at 12 Tapulikaupungin kirjasto / Tapulikaupunki Library
  • THU 5.11 at 18 Herttoniemen kirjasto / Herttoniemi Library

Linda Hedlund, violin
Elina Lehto, violin
Lotta Poijärvi, viola 
Jaani Helander, cello

The music of Piazzolla transports library visitors from the grey autumn of Helsinki to the four seasons of Buenos Aires.

Astor Piazzolla's “The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires” is one of the most famous suites representing the new style of tango, tango nuevo. Originally conceived as separate compositions, together the “seasons” form a whole that is inspired by Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons”, except instead of the Italian countryside, the suite moves in the vibrant urban environment of Buenos Aires.

Piazzolla’s music combines the classical form, jazz harmonies and the rhythmic power of Argentine tango. In the intimate soundscape of the string quartet, these elements are brought particularly close to the listener – every tension, breath and gesture takes on its own meaning.

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Melancholy 

  • MON 9.11 at 18 Käpylän kirjasto / Käpylä Library
  • TUE 12.11 at 12 Kontulan kirjasto / Kontula Library
  • FRI 13.11 at 12 Puistolan kirjasto / Puistola Library

Krista Rosenberg, violin
Elina Viitasaari, violin
Lotta Poijärvi, viola
Jaakko Rajamäki, cello

Samuel Barber: String Quartet No. 1, 2nd movement (Molto adagio)
Dmitri Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 8 in C minor

Two 20th-century composers, two string quartets that communicate the horrors of war.

Barber's musical language expresses inconsolable sadness in a haunting way, and the Adagio from his first string quartet was used brilliantly in the 1986 film Platoon. Based on director Oliver Stone's personal experiences, the film tells the story of the horrors of the Vietnam War.

Shostakovich is said to have dedicated his 8th String Quartet to the memory of the victims of fascism and war. According to his son, he composed the quartet for all the victims of totalitarianism, while his daughter interpreted Shostakovich as dedicating the work to himself and said that the published dedication was dictated by the Soviet regime. The key of the piece, C minor, has always suggested tragedy. Regardless of whom Shostakovich dedicated his quartet to, the tragic atmosphere of the first and last movements is quite palpable.

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Romance

  • MON 16.11 at 12 Munkkiniemen kirjasto / Munkkiniemi Library
  • TUE 17.11 at 18 Arabian kirjasto / Arabia Library
  • THU 19.11 at 18 Etelä-Haagan kirjasto / Etelä-Haaga Library

HPO Horn Quartet:
Ville Hiilivirta
Mika Paajanen
Joonas Seppelin
Miska Miettunen

Gustav Adolf Härtel (arr. Oscar Franz): Sua tervehdin (I Salute Thee)
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov: Nocturne
Aleksandr Nikolai Tcherepnin: 6 Horn Quartets
Nils-Eric Fougstedt (arr. Ville Hiilivirta): Romance from the film Katariina ja Munkkiniemen kreivi (Katariina and the Count of Munkkiniemi)
Erkki Melartin (arr. Ville Hiilivirta): Festive March from Sleeping Beauty
Heikki Aaltoila (arr. Ville Hiilivirta): Wedding Waltz of Akseli and Elina 
Franz Abt (arr. Hannu Kilpi): Ljuva flicka (Lovely Maiden)

"I love you more than anything." Familiar love songs echo in our libraries as the HPO Horn Quartet surrenders to the charms of romance.

In the greyness of November, passions flare and emotions heat up as the HPO Horn Quartet plunges into the intoxication of love and the yearning for romance. Instead of overwhelming with a flamethrower, we get into the mood with beloved romances.

“The power of love is invincible" – Eino Leino

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The Juliet Letters

  • TUE 24.11 at 18 Oulunkylän kirjasto / Oulunkylä Library
  • THU 26.11 at 12 Itäkeskuksen kirjasto / Itäkeskus Library
  • FRI 27.11 at 12 Pasilan kirjasto / Pasila Library

Petteri Poijärvi, vocals
Kari Olamaa, violin
Teija Kivinen, violin
Tiila Kangas, viola
Saara Särkimäki, cello

Elvis Costello: “The Juliet Letters”, songs for string quartet and voice

Romeo and Juliet has inspired countless artists. Elvis Costello's song sequence for string quartet and voice inspired by letters sent to Juliet.

The Juliet Letters is a work by British rock musician and songwriter Elvis Costello in collaboration with the Brodsky Quartet. Costello himself has described the composition as “a song sequence for string quartet and voice”.

The piece consists of songs representing fictional letters to Juliet Capulet from Shakespeare's famous play Romeo and Juliet.

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