Northern Melody · The Violin Music of Heino Eller I · Triin Ruubel & Sten Lassmann

Northern Melody
The Violin Music of Heino Eller I

TRIIN RUUBEL (violin)
STEN LASSMANN (piano)

This concert presents the beautiful and uplifting music of Heino Eller, the founder of Estonian national instrumental music, whose compositions are imbued with luminous lyricism and the austere beauty of the North. Eller's Nordic aesthetic was driven by his desire to find "a musical language suited to Estonia." His pantheistic vision of nature lies at the heart of his music, celebrating the beauty and distinctiveness of the Estonian landscape.

This profound spirituality, rooted in a deep sensitivity to nature, is reflected in the concert's title work, Northern Melody, as well as in the romantic By Moonlight, the iconic Pines, one of the emblematic works of Estonian violin literature, and Vastnessesfor solo violin. At the same time, the programme also reveals a level of virtuosity that remains unsurpassed in Estonian violin music, alongside a refined, distinctly European aesthetic.

The acclaimed violinist Triin Ruubel and internationally renowned concert pianist Sten Lassmann recently made the first complete recording of the violin works of Estonia's early Romantic composer Artur Lemba. Released in June 2024 by the London-based label Toccata Classics as Artur Lemba: Complete Chamber Music, Vol. 1, the album has received widespread critical acclaim, including being named an American Record Guide "Critic's Choice 2025."

They have now embarked on the first complete exploration of Heino Eller's violin works, which is scheduled to be recorded across two albums during this year and next.

The event is supported by the Estonian Cultural Endowment.