A Whispered Lark Defies Expectations (Image Credits: Unsplash)
Finnish violinist Pekka Kuusisto released Willows on February 20, blending classical staples with folk traditions on a deeply personal recording.[1][2]
A Whispered Lark Defies Expectations
Recorded just months after profound family losses, Kuusisto’s version of Ralph Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending strips away layers of accumulated sentiment to expose its radical core.[1][3] He employs a reedy, fragile tone – often pianissimo or sul tasto – to mimic a distant bird’s timid voice, demanding patient listening from audiences accustomed to bolder interpretations.
This approach reveals the piece’s structure and subversion, transforming it from a lush classic into a silver thread of vulnerability. Kuusisto noted the recording captured raw emotion, coinciding with his mother’s final days after sessions in Oslo.[4] Critics praised the result as a “whisper so fragile” it evokes bamboo flute-like intimacy, leaning into the work’s inherent folk roots.[3]
Folk Songs Bring Defiant Warmth
Sam Amidon joins Kuusisto and the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra for six traditional American songs, arranged by Nico Muhly into stirring orchestral tapestries.[1] Tracks like “Way Go, Lily” – an African American call-and-response – and the murder ballad “How Come That Blood” deliver unadorned authenticity through Amidon’s vocals and banjo.
These pieces close the album defiantly, recasting a lark motif into a pentatonic reel in “Wedding Dress.” Kuusisto celebrated the fusion: “I’m so happy that it’s possible to put Vaughan Williams and Sam Amidon on the same album.”[4] The collaboration bridges worlds, with Amidon’s Vermont folk style integrating seamlessly alongside classical forces.
Grief Weaves Through Every Note
Willows emerged from tragedy: Kuusisto’s brother Jaakko, a composer and violinist, died of a brain tumor in February 2022, followed by his mother’s passing during Lark sessions and his father’s later.[2][4] Named for the shimmering willow tree, the album holds space for remembrance while shimmering toward hope.
Kuusisto reflected, “When the album finally became what it did, going back to those times became… a little bit easier. It wasn’t all horror.”[2] His lifelong folk passion, sparked at Finland’s Kaustinen Festival by group JPP, infuses the project, defying classical rigidity.
Contemporary Voices Expand the Canvas
Ellen Reid’s Desiderium premieres here as a solo violin tour de force, spiraling from melody to ominous glissandos and whispers – dedicated to Jaakko.[1] Caroline Shaw’s Plan & Elevation, arranged for strings, mirrors the Lark’s porous architecture with minimalist arpeggios and fading pizzicatos.
- The Lark Ascending (Ralph Vaughan Williams)
- Desiderium (Ellen Reid)
- Plan & Elevation (Caroline Shaw)
- Six folk arrangements featuring Sam Amidon
These selections create a liberating arc, darker at first before folk lightens the mood.[4]
Key Takeaways from Willows:
- A radical, whispered Lark Ascending reveals hidden subversion.
- Folk songs with Amidon challenge genre boundaries.
- Personal grief transforms into optimistic beauty.
Pekka Kuusisto’s Willows stands as a testament to music’s healing power, inviting listeners to trust subtle gestures over spectacle. What draws you to this bold fusion of folk and classical?