Mimmi Fulmer organized a Finnish women creative artists concert on September 7, 2024. It was held in Madison WI but through the wonders of the internet I was able to watch it in New York. I'm not able to embed the video but hopefully you'll be able to click on this link and watch it:
Mimmi is a dear friend and I was very happy to be able to hear this recital. It featured her and her colleagues on the UW-Madison School of Music faculty plus faculty member Dawn Wohn and Mimmi's longtime collaborator pianist Bruce Bengston.
The recital opened with a set of songs for soprano, violin, and piano by Laura Netzel. Julia Rottmayer was the singer - - I knew Julia when she was a student back around the turn of the century and what a joy to see her all grown up and singing so beautifully. These pieces were a warm, inviting way to open the concert. Mimmi did a genius job of programming and choosing the best singer for each piece.
Mimmi and Bruce did a set of five songs by various composers (the full program is below). The first song had a Berg *Seven Early Songs* aura for me, never a bad thing. The two of them captured the moody atmosphere really well. Bruce plays like a dream and clearly he and Mimmi have a deep and effortless understanding of each other.
The highlight of the program, for me, was the song for soprano and violin by Outi Tarkiainen. It was exciting and full of drama. I asked Mimmi if Tarkiainen had written any operas and her opera A Room of One's Own was premiered in 2022. I'd love to hear it! She really knows how to write for the voice.
It was a brilliant choice to add a piece for violin and piano, that was a delightful bit of variety. Wohn is a great player and the piece was fun, it sounded like lots of other violin show pony pieces I've heard over the years. That's a good thing!
The other highlight of the program were two songs by Kaija Saariaho, the composer I knew best on the program (honestly, the only composer I'd heard of, apart from Sibelius). They were sung by Sarah Brailey and holy cow, what a gorgeous voice and such glamorous writing for the voice. Clearly I'm a sucker for anything that smells of the second Viennese school. These songs made me think that Saariaho was Joseph Marx and Berg's love child.
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Sånger vid piano med obligat violin Op. 20 by Laura Netzel (1839-1927)
1. Hvem styrde hit din väg? (Johan Ludvig Runeberg)
2. Om min tanke långt från gruset (Carl David af Wirsén)
Julia Rottmayer, Dawn Wohn, and Bruce Bengtson
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Luulit, ma katselin sua… (L. Onerva) by Leevi Madetoja (1887-1947)
Muusa (L. Onerva) by Iida Antola (b. 1990)
Yrtit tummat (L. Onerva) by Leevi Madetoja
Hämärissä (L. Onerva) by Ernst Linko (1889-1960)
Pastorale (Aino Kallas) by Tauno Pylkkänen (1918-1980)
Mimmi Fulmer and Bruce Bengtson
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En blomma (Viktor Rydberg) by Alice Hornborg-Helsingius (1875–1962)
Min hed (Jane Gernandt-Claine) by Minna Von Knorring (1846–1918)
Jessica Timman Schwefel and Bruce Bengtson
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Soai vácciiga buohtalaga (Rauni Magga Lukkari) by Outi Tarkiainen (b. 1985)
Mimmi Fulmer and Dawn Wohn
Intermission
Im Feld ein Mädchen singt (Margarete Susman) by Jean Sibelius (1865-1957)
Lintu sininen (L. Onerva) by Leevi Madetoja (1887-1947)
Matthew Treviño and Bruce Bengtson
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Puszta Film (1928) by Agnes Tschetschulin (1859-1942)
Dawn Wohn and Bruce Bengtson
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from Leinolaulut (Leino Songs) (Eino Leino) by Kaija Saariaho (1952-2023)
Sua katselen
Iltarukous
Sarah Brailey and Bruce Bengtson
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Tule kanssani (L. Onerva) by Leevi Madetoja (1887-1947)
Julia Rottmayer and Bruce Bengtson
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