The second instalment in the ongoing complete Ferdinand Ries (1784–1838) symphony cycle by Tapiola Sinfonietta and conductor Janne Nisonen includes the composer’s Symphonies nos. 4 and 5. Often remembered in music history as Beethoven’s “right hand”, these new recordings by the Tapiola Sinfonietta reveal a major symphonist. The first volume in the series has received outstanding reviews in the German music press.

Although numbered as the composer’s fifth, the D minor Symphony dates from 1813 and was the composer’s second symphony to be completed. The symphony was Ferdinand Ries’s debut together with the London Philharmonic Society which was to be an important influence in Ries’s career for the next eleven years after Ries had settled down into the city. The first performance of the symphony was a major success and according to a contemporary review, “This [symphony] is one of those works which announce the genius of its author”. Ries was being favourably compared to the likes of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven.

Ries’s Symphony no.4 in F major, op.110, was composed in London in 1818 and, like op.112, published in Leipzig by Breitkopf und Härtel in 1823. The symphony, for reasons unknown, did not receive a success similar to his Fifth Symphony. In today’s context in this work Ries reveals himself to be a symphonist thoroughly deserving of the praise lavished on him after the premiere of Op. 112 five years earlier.

The Tapiola Sinfonietta has established itself as Finland’s premier chamber orchestra. Founded as the Espoo City Orchestra in 1987, it currently has 44 members. The orchestra is known for its adventurous repertoire planning and has been widely acclaimed for nuanced performances across a wide range of eras and styles. The Tapiola Sinfonietta often performs without a conductor, placing an emphasis on ensemble playing and the personal responsibility of each musician. The Tapiola Sinfonietta appears regularly at music festivals in Finland, and tours abroad have boosted its international reputation along with its award-winning discography.

Janne Nisonen is one of Finland’s most versatile and sought after musicians. Nisonen is known especially for his stylish performances of classical and early romantic repertoire as well as a brave proponent of contemporary music. He is a descendant of folk musicians, and there is a certain full-blooded and gritty character in his musicianship. Among other orchestras, Nisonen has conducted the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Helsinki Philharmonic, Tapiola Sinfonietta, Tampere Filharmonia, Turku Philharmonic Orchestra, Avanti!, Tallinn Chamber Orchestra and the Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra. Nisonen has recorded exclusively for Ondine.