# Kaija Saariaho (1952-2023)

> Kaija Saariaho, composer – 26 recordings on Ondine. "...among the few contemporary composers to achieve public acclaim as well as universal critical respect."…

Source: https://ondine.eyelabel.com/composers/saariaho-kaija

- **Role:** Composer
- **Dates:** 1952-2023
- **Photo:** © Maarit Kytöharju/FIMIC

> "...among the few contemporary composers to achieve public acclaim as well as universal critical respect." (Musical America, Composer of the Year Award 2008)

## Biography

Kaija Saariaho was a prominent member of a group of Finnish composers and performers whose music is making a worldwide impact. She studied composition in Helsinki, Freiburg and Paris, where she lived from 1982. Her studies and research at IRCAM had a major influence on her music and her characteristically luxuriant and mysterious textures were often created by combining live music and electronics.

Although much of her catalogue comprises chamber works, from the mid-nineties she turned increasingly to larger forces and broader structures, such as the operas L’Amour de loin, Adriana Mater and Emilie. Around the operas there have been other vocal works, notably the ravishing Château de l’âme (1996), Oltra mar (1999), Quatre instants (2002), and True Fire (2014). The oratorio La Passion de Simone, portraying the life and death of the philosopher Simone Weil, formed part of Sellars’s international festival ‘New Crowned Hope’ in 2006/07. The chamber version of the oratorio was premiered by La Chambre aux echos at the Bratislava Melos Ethos Festival in 2013.

Saariaho claimed the major composing awards in The Grawemeyer Award, The Wihuri Prize, The Nemmers Prize,The Sonning Prize, The Polar Music Prize. In 2018 she was honoured with the BBVA Foundation’s Frontiers of Knowledge Award. In 2015 she was the judge of the Toru Takemitsu Composition Award. Always keen on strong educational programmes, Kaija Saariaho was the music mentor of the 2014-15 Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative and was in residence at U.C. Berkeley Music Department in 2015.

Only The Sound Remains, her most recent opera collaboration with Peter Sellars, was premiered in Amsterdam in 2016. In the same year her first opera L'Amour de loin was presented in its New York premiere by the Metropolitan Opera in a new production by Robert Le Page. The Park Avenue Armory and New York Philharmonic presented a celebration of her orchestral music with visual accompaniment.

February 2017 saw Paris come alive with her work when she was featured composer of Radio France's Festival Présences.

Her last opera, Innocence, received its world premiere at Festival d’Aix-en-Provence in July 2021.

(C) Wise Music Classical

## Works

- Spins and spells (1996)
- Maa - Ballet Music in Seven Scenes
- III
- II
- I
- Postludi
- Tunnustus
- Preludi
- V
- IV
- Sept papillons, for solo cello (2000)
- ...à la fumée, for alto flute, cello and symphony orchestra (199
- Du cristal for symphony orchestra (1989-1990)
- Maa - Ballet Music in Seven Scenes
- Suomenkielinen sekakuorkappale (Piece for mixed choir in Finnish
- Mirage, for soprano, cello and orchestra (2007)
- Orion (2002) for orchestra
- Notes on Light, for cello and orchestra (2006)
- Quatre instants (2002)
- Solar (1993)
- Lonh, for soprano and electronics (1996)
- Près, for cello and electronics (1992)
- NoaNoa, for flute and electronics (1992)
- Graal théâtre, for solo violin and chamber orchestra (1997)
- Lichtbogen, for nine musicians and live electronics (1986)
- Grammaire des rêves (1988)
- From the Grammar of Dreams (1988)
- Du gick, flög (1982)
- Preludi-Tunnustus-Postludi (1980)
- Il pleut (1986)
- Adjö (1982/85)
- Die Aussicht (1996)
- Nej och inte (No and not) (1979)
- Oi kuu (O Moon), for bass clarinet and cello (1990)
- Oltra mar (Across the Sea) (1998-99)
- Six Japanese Gardens, for percussion and electronics (1995)
- Laterna Magica (2008)
- Leino Songs (2007)
- Nymphéa Reflection (2001)
- Mirage (chamber version)
- Cloud Trio
- Cendres
- Je sens un deuxième coeur
- Serenatas
- La Passion de Simone
- Tocar
- Vent nocturne
- Calices
- Spins and Spells
- Nocturne
- Nymphéa, for string quartet and electronics (1987)
- Quatre instants (orchestral)
- Terra Memoria for String Orchestra (2009)
- Émilie Suite
- Tocar
- Mirrors I
- Couleurs du vent
- Sombre I-III
- Dolce tormento
- Mirrors III
- Oi kuu
- Mirrors II
- Nocturne for viola
- Changing Light for soprano and violin
- …de la Terre for violin and electronics
- Die Aussicht for soprano and string quartet
- Terra Memoria for string quartet
- Du gick, flög for soprano and cello
- Fleurs de Neige for string quartet
- Aure for violin and viola

## Discography on Ondine (26)

- [Kaija Saariaho: Saarikoski Songs · Vista · Three Preludes](https://ondine.eyelabel.com/catalogue/ode-1512-2.md): Anu Komsi, soprano · BBC Symphony Orchestra · Sakari Oramo, conductor (ODE 1512-2, 2026)
- [Kaija Saariaho: Touches - Complete Works for Piano and Harpsichord](https://ondine.eyelabel.com/catalogue/ode-1469-2.md): Tuija Hakkila, piano & harpsichord · Anssi Karttunen, cello (ODE 1469-2, 2025)
- [Kaija Saariaho: 70 Years · (Digital album)](https://ondine.eyelabel.com/catalogue/ode-1407-2.md): Various (ODE 1407-2, 2023)
- [Kaija Saariaho: True Fire for baritone and orchestra · Ciel d'hiver for orchestra · Trans for harp and orchestra](https://ondine.eyelabel.com/catalogue/ode-1309-2.md): Gerald Finley, bass-baritone · Xavier de Maistre, harp · Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra · Hannu Lintu, conductor (ODE 1309-2, 2019)
- [Esa-Pekka Salonen · Kaija Saariaho: Works for Solo Cello](https://ondine.eyelabel.com/catalogue/ode-1294-2.md): Wilhemina Smith, cello (ODE 1294-2, 2019)
- [Finland 100: A Century of Finnish Classics · 5 CD collection celebrating 100 years of Finland's independence · Orchestral Works I & II · Concertos · Vocal Works · Chamber Music](https://ondine.eyelabel.com/catalogue/ode-1300-2q.md): Various Finnish artist, orchestras and conductors (ODE 1300-2Q, 2016)
- [Kaija Saariaho: Chamber Works for Strings, Vol 2/2](https://ondine.eyelabel.com/catalogue/ode-1242-2.md): Meta4 · Pia Freund, soprano · Marko Myöhänen, electronics (ODE 1242-2, 2016)
- [Kaija Saariaho: Let the Wind Speak, works with flute](https://ondine.eyelabel.com/catalogue/ode-1276-2.md): Camilla Hoitenga, flute · Anssi Karttunen, cello · Daniel Belcher, baritone · Heloise Dautry, harp · Da Camera of Houston (ODE 1276-2, 2015)
- [Kaija Saariaho: Quatre instants (2002) · Terra memoria for String Orchestra · Émilie Suite](https://ondine.eyelabel.com/catalogue/ode-1255-2.md): Karen Vourc'h, soprano · Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg · Marko Letonja, conductor (ODE 1255-2, 2015)
- [Kaija Saariaho: Chamber Works for Strings · Vol. I](https://ondine.eyelabel.com/catalogue/ode-1222-2.md): Meta4 · Anna Laakso · Marko Myöhänen (ODE 1222-2, 2013)
- [Kaija Saariaho: La Passion de Simone](https://ondine.eyelabel.com/catalogue/ode-1217-5.md): Dawn Upshaw, soprano · Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra · Tapiola Chamber Choir · Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor (ODE 1217-5, 2013)
- [Kaija Saariaho: Trios](https://ondine.eyelabel.com/catalogue/ode-1189-2.md): Steven Dann, viola · Pia Freund, soprano · Tuija Hakkila, piano · Mikael Helasvuo, alto flute · Florent Jodelet, percussion · Anssi Karttunen, cello · Ernst Kovacic, violin (ODE 1189-2, 2012)
- [Kaija Saariaho: Works for Orchestra](https://ondine.eyelabel.com/catalogue/ode-1113-2q.md): Jukka-Pekka Saraste (ODE 1113-2Q, 2012)
- [Kaija Saariaho: Clarinet Concerto "D'OM LE VRAI SENS" · Laterna Magica · Leino Songs](https://ondine.eyelabel.com/catalogue/ode-1173-2.md): Kari Kriikku, clarinet · Anu Komsi, soprano · Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra · Sakari Oramo, conductor (ODE 1173-2, 2011)
- [Karita Mattila: Helsinki Recital (ODV 4004)](https://ondine.eyelabel.com/catalogue/odv-4004.md): Duparc · Saariaho · Rachmaninov · Dvorák · Karita Mattila, soprano · Martin Katz, piano · + Bonus CD (Lieder By German and Finnish composers) (ODV 4004, 2010)
- [Kaija Saariaho: Notes on Light · Orion · Mirage](https://ondine.eyelabel.com/catalogue/ode-1130-2.md): Karita Mattila, soprano · Anssi Karttunen, cello · Orchestre de Paris · Christoph Eschenbach, conductor (ODE 1130-2, 2008)
- [A Due: Duo works for clarinet and cello](https://ondine.eyelabel.com/catalogue/ode-1102-2.md): Kari Kriikku, clarinet and bass clarinet · Anssi Karttunen, cello (ODE 1102-2, 2007)
- [Karita Mattila: Helsinki Recital (ODE 1100-5)](https://ondine.eyelabel.com/catalogue/ode-1100-5.md): Duparc · Saariaho · Rachmaninov · Dvorák · Karita Mattila, soprano · Martin Katz, piano (ODE 1100-5, 2007)
- [Kaija Saariaho: Cinq reflets de L'Amour de loin · Nymphea Reflection · Oltra mar](https://ondine.eyelabel.com/catalogue/ode-1049-2.md): Pia Freund, soprano · Gabriel Suovanen, baritone · Tapiola Chamber Choir · Finnish RSO · Jukka-Pekka Saraste, conductor (ODE 1049-2, 2004)
- [Kaija Saariaho: Du cristal · ...à la fumée · Nymphéa · Sept Papillons](https://ondine.eyelabel.com/catalogue/ode-1047-2.md): Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra · Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor · Kronos Quartet · Petri Alanko, alto flute · Anssi Karttunen, cello (ODE 1047-2, 2004)
- [A Century of Finnish Chamber Music: Live from the Kuhmo Festival](https://ondine.eyelabel.com/catalogue/ode-984-2s.md): Various Artists (ODE 984-2S, 2002)
- [Kaija Saariaho: Graal théâtre (chamber version) · Solar · Lichtbogen](https://ondine.eyelabel.com/catalogue/ode-997-2.md): John Storgårds, violin · Avanti! Chamber Orchestra · Hannu Lintu, conductor (ODE 997-2, 2002)
- [Kaija Saariaho: From the Grammar of Dreams](https://ondine.eyelabel.com/catalogue/ode-958-2.md): Anu Komsi, soprano · Avanti! Chamber Orchestra · Hannu Lintu, conductor (ODE 958-2, 2000)
- [Kaija Saariaho: Private Gardens](https://ondine.eyelabel.com/catalogue/ode-906-2.md): Camilla Hoitenga, flute · Florent Jodelet, percussion · Anssi Karttunen, cello · Dawn Upshaw, soprano (ODE 906-2, 1997)
- [Kaija Saariaho: Maa - Ballet Music in Seven Scenes](https://ondine.eyelabel.com/catalogue/ode-791-2.md): Various Musicians · Tapio Tuomela, conductor (ODE 791-2, 1992)
- [Verbum - An Anthology of Choral Works: Kortekangas · Saariaho · Länsiö · Heiniö · Kyllönen](https://ondine.eyelabel.com/catalogue/ode-796-2.md): Tapiola Chamber Choir · Eric-Olof Söderström, conductor (ODE 796-2, 1992)

## Links

- [Official Website](http://www.saariaho.org/)
- [Chester Novello](http://www.chesternovello.com/Default.aspx?TabId=2431&State_2905=2&composerId_2905=1350)
- [Finnish Music Information Centre](http://www.fimic.fi/fimic/fimic.nsf/COMAG/356208D41C39BBCCC225748100354E34?opendocument)
- [ARTICLE: The New York Times](http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/10/arts/music/10smit.html?ref=arts)
- [AUDIO: Kaija Saariaho talks about her work](http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/audio/2008/apr/17/kaijasaariaho)