War and the Woman

80 years ago, the world exploded. Nazis swept East through Poland before briefly turning their attention West as the Soviets charged in to Finland and Poland. Soon, nearly every nation on the globe was at war, shattering the world order and changing the course of history forever.

Art has always reflected the world around it, and World War Two was no exception. Composers fled their homes, fought on the fronts, and died in concentration camps. Compositions were interrupted, and lives were altered. For this inaugural program, the Helsinki Chamber Orchestra selected three works that represent the so-called “neo-tonal” composers of the time, one from before the war, one interrupted by it, and one from a few years after its conclusion. The program begins with Ernest Bloch’s prewar Concerto Grosso no. 1, explosive but reflective of the fragile peace the world had landed in after the first world war. Then comes…