Kokkonen’s only concerto is the Cello Concerto, composed during his free tonal period (1969). It is a gem in Finnish concerto literature, and probably the most-performed cello concerto by any Finnish composer. Inspired by and dedicated to Arto Noras, the concerto is technically demanding but also musically solid. Hardly anything could be more alien to Kokkonen’s spirit than virtuosity for its own sake.
Recommended: Penguin Guide 3 stars and Gramophone.