CLASSICAL MUSIC

CHRISTMAS

LINDA WITH ANUNA

POP & FOLK & GUEST 

X Factor-32- Levyn kansi
Linda Brava cover
X Factor-34- Nordic Light
Angels omslag

LINDA LAMPENIUS (1997)

Prologue
Flame
Stormscar’s Maya
Isa’s Lullaby
Archipelago
Velocity
Crosspoint
Farewell
Fiddler
Violator
Get Real
Toccata & Fugue
Aquamarine

 

 

Linda’s pop album Linda Lampenius, which peaked at number 8 on the Finnish Top Album Chart, was released in 1997. Although the album was released only in Finland, BravaLampenius’s single ”Violator”/”Toccata and Fugue” got international attention: ”Pammi lookalike’s great on her Bach” stated the Daily Mirror and the Daily Record wrote: ”Just when interest in violin music was toning down along comes Linda Lampenius – the fiddling Finn has taken a major bow – she is already a sensation with her version of Bach’s Toccata and Fugue”. The Sunday Times reported how ”Linda has enjoyed huge success in Scandinavia with an up-tempo version of Bach’s Toccata and Fugue”. Linda has performed material from the album at Sporting Club in Monaco, televised performances at the Royal Albert Hall and the Playboy Mansion and three pieces were featured on Baywatch.

LINDA BRAVA (1999)

Elgar, Salut D’amour (Liebesgruss), Op.12
Fauré, Berceuse, Op.16
Sibelius, Rondino, Op.81, No.2
Bach/Gounod, Ave Maria
Grieg, I. Allegro Molto Ed Appassionato
II. Allegretto Espressivo Alla Romanza – Allegro Molto – Tempo I
III. Allegro Animato
Sibelius, Humoresque I, Op.87, No.1
Paganini, Cantabile (Kompositionen Fur Gitarre Und Streich, 1. Serie, No. 8)
Thais, Meditation
Sibelius, Romance, Op.78, No.2
Kreisler, Marche Miniature Viennoise

Linda started recording her first classical album with John Lenehan at Abbey Road Studios in London 1998 and the Linda Brava album was released worldwide in 1999, including Edvard Grieg’s Violin Sonata No. 3 in C minor as well as lyrical violin miniatures by Edward Elgar, Gabriel Fauré, Jean Sibelius, Johann Sebastian Bach-Charles Gounod, Jules Massenet, Niccolò Paganini and Fritz Kreisler. The album peaked at number 14 on the UK Classical Chart and Linda became the biggest selling Finnish classical artist at the time.

Gramophone described the album as ”a delightful recital – played with such warmth, and an eloquent simplicity of line, that the ear is instantly beguiled – a welcome collection”. Classic FM Magazine dedicated its cover story for ”Linda Brava Lampenius, Finland’s violin sensation”, and wrote that she plays ”with a pleasant, honeyed tone – making the most of her golden-voiced 1781 Galliano violin – and an unaffected grace that will surely win her many friends”. Composer and critic Paul Turok of Turok’s Choice thought ”the high point of her fine recital disc with pianist John Lenehan is a strong reading of Grieg’s Sonata” while the Evening Standard wrote ”her best playing comes in the three short pieces by her countryman Sibelius: the skittish Rondino extracts her quickest fingerwork, the Humoreske Op.87 No.1 wins her most tortured expression and the Romance Op.78 No.2 sings under her confident touch”. Classic FM UK played music from the album on a daily basis for several weeks, and it was also noted positively by BBC Radio 3 and ABC Classic FM Australia.

Linda promoted the album in various newspapers, magazines and TV and radio shows all around Europe and the Far East, being featured on the back of a red double-decker bus driving on Oxford Street in London. Linda’s music video ”Ave Maria” was featured on Classic FM TV, and on the first edition of Classic FM 2003 DVD. Linda’s music video can be seen on C Music TV, which included the video in its August Highlights 2010.

NORDIC LIGHT (2005)

Vem Kan Segla
Vals Efter Jamt-lof
Nocturne (Feat. Anders Ekborg)
Nya Säkkijärvipolkan
Höstvisa
Romanssi
Fritjof Och Carmencita (Feat. Bengan Jansson)
Glimmande Nymf (Feat. Anders Ekborg)
Karjalan Kunnailla Feat. Bengan Jansson)
Stormskärs Maja
Kristina Från Duvemåla
Kings Selma
Visa Från Frostviken
Gammal Fäbodspsalm

Linda’s third album Nordic Light was released in the Nordic countries in 2005 and re-released in Sweden in 2008, peaking at number 12 on the Swedish Top Album Chart. The album is a collection of folk melodies from Finland and Sweden, including a medley from the musical Kristina från Duvemåla by Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson of ABBA. On the critically acclaimed album, Linda is accompanied by members of Benny Anderssons Orkester while Anders Ekborg sings on two tracks.

ANGELS (2010)

Away in a manger (Feat. Ulf Wakenius) 3.40
Jul, jul strålande jul (Feat. Nils Landgren) 3.25
När det lider mot jul (Feat. Sofia Källgren) 6.07
Ding dong merrily on high (Feat. Kalle Moraeus) 3.07
Gläns över sjö och strand (Feat. Ulf Wakenius) 3.40
Silent night 4.27
O holy night (Feat. Fredrik Lycke) 5.05
Angels we have heard on high 3.26
Sylvian joululaulu 3.23
Ser du stjärnan i det blå (Feat. Ulf Wakenius) 3.24
Panis angelicus (Feat. Nils Landgren) 4.07
Sankta lucia 3.50
När juldagsmorgon glimmar (Feat.Ulf Wakenius) 3.22
Ave Maria 3.07

Linda’s latest album Angels is a collection of Christmas carols from Finland, Sweden, Germany, France, England and the United States, arranged for solo violin, string quartet, harp, and female choir, in addition to numerous guest artists such as guitarist Ulf Wakenius, trombonist Nils Landgren, and soprano Sofia Källgren.

The album peaked at number 3 on the Swedish Classical Album Chart, and includes classics like ”Angels We Have Heard on High”, ”Away in a Manger”, ”Ding Dong Merrily on High”, ”O Holy Night”, ”Panis Angelicus”, and ”Silent Night”. Angels is the first album released by Linda’s own record label Linda Lampenius Productions. It is Linda’s first Christmas release.

The album was produced by Lars Nilsson, who also recorded Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and Prince Daniel’s wedding album. The arrangers include Swedish composers Paula af Malmborg, Olov Helge, and Dan Evmark as well as a Norwegian composer Tormod Tvete Vik. The featured string quartet is Hvila from the Gothenburg Symphony, and the female choir is Leif Strands Damkör from Gothenburg as well. French harpist Delphine Constantin plays on the album.

Released in Finland and Sweden, Angels has got warm reviews in various publications. Göteborgs-Posten wrote that Linda is ”a good soloist”, who ”approaches her music with devotion”, and the critic was especially ”fascinated by the strong, melancholic Finnish Christmas song ’Sylvian joululaulu’ (’Sylvia’s Christmas Song’)”. Hallands Nyheter positively declared that ”musically, the outcome sounds more like a concert recording”, and Västerbottens-Kuriren described the album as ”beautiful, caressing and enjoyable, soothing and pleasant”, while Hufvudstadsbladet stated that Linda is ”a divinely gifted violinist” and ”the performances are high-class”. Furthermore, Rondo-Classica, the biggest classical music magazine in the Nordic countries, thought the album is Linda’s ”best release so far – She plays convincingly. The tone of her Gagliano violin has become more beautiful, and her pretty straightforward phrasing is completed well by the clang of the harp and the angelic voices of the female choir.”

Linda promoted the album in Finland and Sweden with numerous television and radio appearances, newspaper and magazine articles, and promotional performances.

ALBUMS

Soloist

  • Linda Lampenius (Audiovox Records, 1997) – Finnish Top Album Chart: 8[1]
  • Linda Brava (EMI Classics, 1999) – UK Classical Chart: 14;[2] Swedish Classical Chart: 6[3]
  • Nordic Light (Ladybird, 2005/re-released 2008) – Swedish Top Album Chart: 12[4]
  • Angels (Linda Lampenius Productions, 2010) – Swedish Classical Chart: 5 (2010);[5] Swedish Classical Chart: 3 (2011)[6]

Guest

  • Paul Oxley’s Unit – The Magic (Sony Music Entertainment Finland, 1996) (violin)
  • Osmo’s Cosmos – Just For You (Edel Records Finland, 2003) (guest violin soloist)
  • Smalare Än Thord – * World Hockey Party (Sweden’s Official Hockey CD 2004/2005) (Bam, 2004) (guest violin soloist) – Swedish Top Album Chart: 10[7]
  • Anúna – Celtic Origins (Elevation, 2007) (guest violin soloist) – Nielsen SoundScan – World Music: 1[8]
  • Celine Dion – Taking Chances (Sony, 2007) (strings) – U.S. Billboard 200: 3[9]
  • Tiny Harvest – It Hasn’t Been One Normal Day (Universal Music, 2007) (violin)
  • Sofia Källgren – Cinema Paradiso (One Voice AB, 2008) (guest violin soloist)
  • Carola – Christmas in Bethlehem (X5 Music Group, 2009) (guest violin soloist) – Swedish Top Album Chart: 4[10]
  • Yana Mangi – Earth Shadow (Transubstans Records, 2010) (violin)
  • Saara Aalto – Enkeleitä – Angels (Yume Records, 2011) (guest violin soloist)
  • Nanne – My Rock Favorites (Lionheart Music, 2011) (guest violin soloist) – Swedish Top Album Chart: 4[11]

SINGLES

Soloist

  • Violator/Toccata and Fugue in D minor (Audiovox Records, 1996)
  • Ave Maria/Salut d’Amour (EMI Classics, 1999)
  • Your Song (featuring Gentlemen) (Love No Limit Recordings, 2011)

Guest

  • Magnus Bäcklund – Burn (UNI, 2007) (featured artist) – Swedish Top Singles Chart: 4[12]
  • Emilia de Poret – Pick Me Up (UNI, 2008) (strings) – Swedish Top Singles Chart: 1[13]

DVDs

  • Various Artists – Classic FM [2003] DVD (BMG Music Programming, 2003) (”Ave Maria” music video)
  • Osmo’s Cosmos – 70’s Rock’n’Roll Show (Edel Records Finland, 2003) (guest violin soloist)
  • Anúna – Celtic Origins (Elevation, 2007) (guest violin soloist)
  • Robert Wells – Rhapsody in Rock 1998-2008 (Pan Vision, 2008) (guest violin soloist)

 References

    1. Finnish Top Album Chart, Week 15, 1997.
    2. Ilta-Sanomat, December 9, 1999.
    3. Swedish Classical Chart, Week 4, 2000.
    4. Swedish Top Album Chart, Week 10, 2008. Swedish Classical Chart, Week 48, 2010.
    5. Swedish Classical Chart, Week 47, 2011.
    6. Swedish Top Album Chart, Week 35, 2004.
    7. Official website of Anúna, anuna.ie, January 1, 2008.
    8.  Billboard 200
    9.  Swedish Top Album Chart, Week 49, 2009.
    10.  Swedish Top Album Chart, Week 48, 2011.
    11.  Swedish Top Singles Chart, Week 7, 2007.
    12.  Swedish Top Singles Chart, Week 31, 2008.