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Cover: Kaija Saariaho – Works for Orchestra

Kaija Saariaho

Works for Orchestra

Jukka-Pekka Saraste

ODE 1113-2Q · CD · February 2012

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Track listing

36 tracks · 257:04

Listen to samples on selected tracks.

CD 1

Kaija Saariaho

  1. 1 Lichtbogen, for nine musicians and live electronics (1986) 16:34
  2. 2 Grammaire des rêves (1988) 14:32
  3. 3 Du cristal for symphony orchestra (1989-1990) 16:40
  4. 4 ...à la fumée, for alto flute, cello and symphony orchestra (1990) 21:13

CD 2

Kaija Saariaho

  1. 1 Caliban's Dream (1992) 3:32
  2. 2 Solar (1993) 17:01
  3. Graal théâtre, for solo violin and chamber orchestra (1997) 29:43
  4. 3 I. Delicato 18:25
  5. 4 II. Impetuoso 11:18
  6. 5 Miranda's Lament (1997) 4:42

CD 3

Kaija Saariaho

  1. Oltra mar (1998-99) 21:53
  2. 1 I. Départ 4:38
  3. 2 II. Amour 3:05
  4. 3 III. Vagues 2:18
  5. 4 IV. Temps 3:39
  6. 5 V. Souvenir des vagues 1:10
  7. 6 VI. Mort (In memory of Gérard Grisey) 3:38
  8. 7 VII. Arrivée 3:25
  9. Nymphéa Reflection (2001) 21:40
  10. 8 I. Sostenuto 3:32
  11. 9 II. Feroce 3:38
  12. 10 III. Dolcissimo 4:15
  13. 11 IV. Lento espressivo 3:17
  14. 12 V. Furioso 3:56
  15. 13 VI. Misterioso 3:02
  16. Cinq reflets de 'L'Amour de loin' (2001) 29:28
  17. 14 I. Outremer 6:24
  18. 15 II. Songe 5:05
  19. 16 III. L'Amour de loin 7:25
  20. 17 IV. Si la mort pouvait attendre 5:32
  21. 18 V. Vers toi qui es si loin 5:01

CD 4

Kaija Saariaho

  1. Orion, for orchestra (2002) 21:52
  2. 1 I. Memento mori 6:58
  3. 2 II. Winter Sky 9:28
  4. 3 III. Hunter 5:26
  5. Notes on Light, for cello and orchestra (2006) 27:25
  6. 4 I. Translucent, secret 4:56
  7. 5 II. On fire 3:12
  8. 6 III. Awakening 7:52
  9. 7 IV. Eclipse 4:22
  10. 8 V. Heart of Light 4:22
  11. 9 Mirage, for soprano, cello and orchestra (2007) 13:31

About this recording

"The life-force of Kaija Saariaho's music is its feast of sensory awakening and shocking emotional nakedness. A raw honesty permeates the atmosphere of mystery. This music is an obsessive, immersive and magical weather system bringing ecstasy, cleansing, and renewal." - Peter Sellars

On the occasion of her 60th anniversary in 2012, this 4-CD collector's box contains recordings of fourteen orchestral works by Grammy-awarded Kaija Saariaho, many of them featuring vocal or instrumental soloists. This specially priced anthology highlights the Finnish composer's oeuvre from 1986 to 2007, a period that follows the evolution of her compositional style from the early days of her career to more recent times. The featured works have helped to cement Saariaho's international position as one of the most successful living composers and have garnered her several important awards along the way (Grawemeyer Award 2003, Musical America's Composer of the Year 2008, MIDEM Classical Award 2009, Wihuri Sibelius Prize 2009, Sonning Music Prize 2011). Kaija Saariaho has been the New York Carnegie Hall's Composer-in-Residence since the beginning of the 2011-12 Season.

The recordings were made between 1992 and 2008 have been previously released by Ondine to international popular and critical acclaim. The featured conductors are:

  • Hannu Lintu and the Avanti! Chamber Orchestra (Lichtbogen; Grammaire des rêves; Caliban's Dream; Solar; Graal théâtre; Miranda's Lament);
  • Esa-Pekka Salonen leading the L.A. Philharmonic in Du cristal ...à la fumée;
  • Jukka-Pekka Saraste conducting the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra (Oltra mar; Nympéa Reflection; Cinq reflets de 'L'Amour de loin');
  • Christoph Eschenbach leading the Orchestre de Paris (Orion; Notes on Light; Mirage).

Several works include soloists:

  • Soprano Anu Komsi and contralto Riikka Rantanen in Grammaire des rêves;
  • Flutist Petri Alanko and cellist Anssi Karttunen in ...à la fumée;
  • Baritone Petteri Salomaa in Caliban's Dream;
  • Violinist John Storgårds in Graal théâtre;
  • Soprano Anu Komsi in Miranda's Lament;
  • Tapiola Chamber Choir in Oltra mar;
  • Soprano Pia Freund and baritone Gabriel Suovanen in Cinq reflets de 'L'Amour de loin';
  • Cellist Anssi Karttunen in Notes on Light;
  • Soprano Karita Mattila and cellist Anssi Karttunen in Mirage.

Features

Boxed set of 4 CDs; booklet with liner notes in English and Finnish and the sung texts in the original language and in English

The artists

Jukka-Pekka Saraste

Jukka-Pekka Saraste (b. 1956) has established himself as one of the exceptional conductors of his generation, demonstrating considerable musical depth and integrity. He has been music director of the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra since the 2006/07 season until 2013. In November 2008, the WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne announced the appointment of Saraste as its next principal conductor, effective with the 2010–2011 season. He served in the post through the 2018–2019 season. In April 2022, the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra announced the appointment of Saraste as its next chief conductor. He previously held positions as music director of the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra (1987-2001) and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (1994-2001). From 2002 to 2005 he was principal guest conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra. For the Finnish Chamber Orchestra he founded the Tammisaari Festival. Guest conductor engagements have included the Filarmonica della Scala in Milan, the Philharmonia Orchestra in London, the London Philharmonic, the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Concertgebouworkest Amsterdam, the Chicago Symphony, the Boston Symphony and the Orchestre National de France.

Full biography

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