This six-disc boxed set offers a broad survey of a hundred years of Finnish chamber music, featuring more than sixty performers and twenty composers – between the late Romanticism of Toivo Kuula’s Piano Trio (1908) and the postmodernism of Veli-Matti Puumala’s String Quartet (1994). Highlights include songs by Aare Merikanto sung by Soile Isokoski, Einojuhani Rautavaara’s Rilke song cycle, sung by Marcus Ullman, and Joonas Kokkonen’s third string quartet, performed by the Sibelius Quartet.

All recordings were made between 1999-2001 live at the famed Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival. Ondine has maintained a privileged relationship with the Kuhmo Festival, since the label’s initial mission from 1985 was to produce one live album at the Festival each season. Its exciting atmosphere since 1970, based on a unique interaction of music and nature, is reflected throughout the musical program, the recordings and the included booklet liner notes and photos.

CD 1:
[1-4] Jaakko Kuusisto, violin · Jan-Erik Gustafsson, cello · Paavali Jumppanen, piano
[5-8] Echnaton Trio

CD 2:
[1-3] John Storgårds, violin · Eduard Brunner, clarinet · Radek Baborák, French horn · Sirkka-Liisa Kaakinen, violin · Corinne Chapelle, violin · Pierre Lenert, viola · Tommia Aalto, viola · Götz Teutsch, cello · Martina Schucan, cello
[4-7] Helena Juntunen, soprano · Eveliina Kytömäki
[8-10] Asko Heiskanen, clarinet · Marita Viitasalo, piano
[11-14] Soile Isokoski, soprano · Marita Viitasalo, piano

CD 3:
[1-2] Laura Mikkola, piano · Jean Sibelius Quartet
[3-6] Meri Englund, violin · Tiina Karakorpi, piano
[7-9] Jean Sibelius Quartet
[10-13] Marcus Ullman, tenor · John Storgårds, violin · Cecilia Zilliacus, violin · Vladimir Mendelssohn, viola · Jan-Erik Gustafsson, cello · Duncan McTier, double bas

CD 4:
[1-3] Jan-Erik Gustafsson, cello · Juhani Lagerspetz, piano
[4] Meri Englund, violin · Antti Tikkanen, violin
[5-6] Asko Heiskanen, clarinet · Jerry Jantunen, piano
[7] Petri Alanko, flute · Marita Viitasalo, piano
[8-9] Pietari Inkinen, violin · Antti Tikkanen, violin · Ilari Angervo, viola · Marko Ylönen, cello · Ramon Jaffé, cello

CD 5:
[1-3] Danel Quartet
[4-8] Gryphon Trio
[9] Kari Kriikku, clarinet · Avanti! Quartet

CD 6
[1] Roi Ruottinen, cello · Jerry Jantunen, piano
[2] Roi Ruottinen, cello
[3] Ismo Eskelinen, guitar
[4] Trio Fratres
[5] Antti Kaihola, piano
[6-7] New Helsinki Quartet