The prolific Finnish composer Kalevi Aho periodically undertakes large-scale compositions that showcase the full breadth of his artistic abilities. The Symphony No. 17 exemplifies this tendency, representing his most ambitious orchestral work to date.

The symphony requires a substantial orchestra, incorporating less common instruments such as the lupophone, a variation of the baritone oboe, and the contraforte, an acoustically enhanced contrabassoon. The first movement, "From the Deep", which can also be performed as an independent symphonic poem, establishes a somber and profound atmosphere. The second movement, "Scherzo macabre", suggests a macabre dance of death. The finale, "Distant Songs", features musical shifts that evoke distant times, dances, and songs, before ultimately returning to the present.

Following it's triumphant première in 2019, the symphony was immediately hailed as a magnum opus within Kalevi Aho's oeuvre.