Prophecy: Tüür; Korvits; Vasks
Ksenija Sidorova; Estonian Festival Orchestra; Paavo Järvi
Alpha Classics ALPHA1198 (outhere-music.com/en/albums/prophecy)
Prophecy, performed by renowned Estonian conductor Paavo Järvi and his Estonian Festival Orchestra comprised of his handpicked musicians, and Latvian solo accordion superstar Ksenija Sidorova, who has collaborated with Järvi for over ten years, pays tribute to Baltic Estonian and Latvian music.
Prophecy (2007) by Erkki-Sven Tüür for accordion and orchestra, a work in four movements played without pauses, explores the concept of the Seer, a person who can see the future but is often despised by the society in which they live. The opening has the orchestral holding slow soft notes and building in volume, then soft again, blending with Sidorova’s virtuosic accordion playing. An accordion bellows shake creates dramatic rhythmic sense with loud orchestra playing.
Tõnu Kõrvits’ four movement Dances (2024) opens with I. Darkness containing quiet held notes on the accordion to short silence to contemporary dance flavoured full orchestral crescendo and upfront accordion. Closing full “band” decrescendo to soft accordion is breathtaking. II.Passacaglia is serious with big volume changes. Accessible sounds in III.Siciliana. Closing IV. Sarabande is loud with orchestra, percussion and accordion rhythmic lines to unexpected accented closing. Pēteris Vasks’ The Fruit of Silence (2007), inspired by a prayer by Mother Teresa, is arranged by George Morton for accordion, vibraphone and string orchestra. Sidorova’s beautiful musical high single note melody followed by vibraphone solo, and orchestral and accordion accompaniments are mellow, calming and reassuring. These two works were performed live in Toronto with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Järvi and Sidorova October 31 through November 2, 2025.
Järvi’s passionate conducting draws out tight orchestral and accordion performances in this clearly recorded release with contrasting blasting and subtle sounds. Hästi tehtud -- well done!
