MUSIC / Soile Isokoski - Wigmore Hall, London

Meredith Oakes
Saturday 12 December 1992 00:02 GMT
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

She opened seraphically with Mozart's Ridente la calma, as supple as mercury. Soile Isokoski will be a soprano phenomenon of the Nineties, and there were many professionals present on Thursday checking the state of her art.

Her pitch is virtually flawless yet every perfect high note was a frisson and a shock, so that the sudden rise on 'Ach sein Kuss' in Schubert's 'Gretchen at the Spinning Wheel' made your temples go cold. This was dramatic, but the happy, almost mystical innocence of 'In Spring', which followed, seemed her instinctive mode. The concert was part of the Tender Is the North festival, which seemed appropriate.

But this gifted Finn is no artless primitive. Formerly an organist, she exposes text and structure with complete lucidity. Four Dream Songs, where Aulis Sallinen makes rapt personal use of the language Bartok established in Bluebeard, sounded as easy as Grieg. The distinguished Marita Viitasalo, her recital partner since 1987, accompanied.

Better in Germanic than Romance languages, Isokoski could seek greater confidence and warmth. But the Wigmore Hall audience knows what it likes and it certainly liked her.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in