“… Mustonon conducts his own music with authority, and the orchestral playing and recording quality are top-notch. Bostridge sings beautifully … and is typically committed… the work was written for Bostridge and he does his highly individual thing. Both symphonies offer a great deal of interest and are well worth getting to know.”

“… The performances under the composer are obviously authoritative and the orchestra plays well for him. The soloist in the third symphony is our old friend Ian Bostridge, whose sensitive and flexible singing is always a pleasure. He handles the Finnish at the end with aplomb and I presume Mustonen, as a native speaker, was satisfied. The recording is up to Ondine’s usual high standard… both works are worth hearing and Mustonen is worth following.”

“…Both works are compact in length (about 30 minutes) and both are full of picturesque and expressive music. Orchestrations are expert, the recording quality is superb and the players of the Turku Philharmonic are clearly enjoying themselves.”

Recording of the Month – February 2024

“…Mustonen elicits top-drawer playing from the Turku Philharmonic and Ondine’s engineering captures the orchestra’s marriage of technical brilliance and warm ensemble. A masterly musical chameleon, Mustonen uses his depth of stylistic knowledge and his wide-ranging timbral palette to create symphonic canvases that are bound to have wide audience appeal. In doing so, he continues to explore and to develop the vast, intriguing riches of Finland’s extraordinary cultural heritage for succeeding generations.” ****½

“… I can imagine these works will please many listeners keen to try something new – but not too advanced. The music certainly repays the effort, especially in Ondine’s top-notch sound.”