Sonata in B flat minor for viola and piano

Uuno Klami (1900-1961) became one of the leading Finnish Modernists during the 1920s. His main genre was orchestral music, and he experimented widely with his orchestration, combining national themes with international trends. His studies took him to Paris and Vienna, and Parisian influences are particularly marked in his musical language. He admired the orchestral sound of Ravel and was also influenced by Stravinsky. His sonata in B flat minor for viola and piano was composed in 1920. Forgotten for long time, in 2016 the violist Eero Kesti took the demanding task of editing the very challenging manuscript full of unclear corrections. The sonata has impressionistic and romantic features and is surprisingly mature and original, considering the young age of the composer. The sonata is in three movements, and the duration is c. 21 minutes.