Rautavaara. Rune 42 “The Robbery of the Sampo” (Sammon ryöstö)
Tormis. Kalevala Rune XVII “Visiting Vipunen” (Vipusessa käynti)

These two large-scale choral works for male choir are both inspired by the Finnish national epic “Kalevala” but take very different musical approaches. Einojuhani Rautavaara’s 45-minute piece is a chamber opera for soloists, male choir, and prerecorded sound. In contrast, Veljo Tormis’ 35-minute, single-movement work unfolds with a sweeping structure and musical development that gives it an almost symphonic scale.

Duration: 1 hour 40 minutes, including intermission.