Ari Romppanen’s new piano work Tvashtar Catena was commissioned by Arto Satukangas. Romppanen has told that he had Satukangas’ bright and sonorous pianism in mind when composing the work. However, the pianist didn’t have the opportunity to perform this work before his early decease. The work’s title alludes to the vulcanic and constantly erupting area of the moon Io of planet Jupiter. The rhythmics and gestures of the work retell the rough and organic phenomenas of its planetary paragon. The sounds of Romppanen’s earlier piano work Rho Cas (2005-06) are somewhat more angular than those of Tvashtar Catena, albeit this work, too, presented to the performer extreme technical challenges. Arto Satukangas was often conceived as an artist concentrating especially on romantic music, his active role as an envoy of contemporary music is less known. Tvashtar Catena in all its challenges can well be regarded as a tribute to Satukangas’ versatile musical culture.

Text (in Finnish): Paavali Jumppanen (concert program, Mother’s Day Concert, PianoEspoo 2015)
English translation: Ari Romppanen