Don Satz:

>I'm interested in the 20th century composer Aulis Sallinin and would
>appreciate some feedback concerning his style, most rewarding works,
>and recordings that best represent his soundworld.

A longtime favourite of mine is BIS CD-41 which contains a good
representation of Sallinen's music: the first and third symphonies;
Chorali, a short orchestral work; pieces for solo violin and for solo
cello; the third string quartet.  I especially like the third symphony:
powerful, much brass writing, an atmosphere of that sense of space in,
say, the last movement of Sibelius's 5th, but not sounding like Sibelius
very much.

BIS CD-511 has the short Sunrise Serenade, the second symphony, which
is essentially a percussion concerto, and the sixth symphony, which
Sallinen wrote to a commission from New Zealand and followed a vacation
there.  Finlandia's Meet the Composer series - which appears to be still
available - contains Shadows, which is a short ballet, the fourth and
fifth symphonies, the Sunrise Serenade, the cello concerto and some works
for small orchestra (4509-99966-2).  There is also a Naxos (8.553747)
of his "complete works for string orchestra" which duplicates some of
the Finlandia program.

A quick online browse has revealed, among others, a couple of recordings
of the violin concerto, one of some - possibly all - string quartets
and, interestingly, a CPO CD containing the first and seventh symphonies.
This is scheduled for release in January and is conducted by Ari Rasilainen,
who seems to be CPO's specialist in Nordic symphonies - his Atterberg
series, for example, is superb, imo.  It's possible that CPO is recording
all the symphonies.

Richard Pennycuick