Kaija Saariaho: Mittelschwere Noten

Nocturne was written in early 1994 and dedicated to the memory of the Polish composer, Witold Lutoslawski. The piece is an exploration of early ideas for Kaija Saariaho's violin concerto, Graal Theatr...

Written for solo piccolo.

Six Japanese Gardens is another wonderful example of contemporary programmatic composition by Kaija Saariaho for percussion and electronics. It was composed in the summer of 1993, when Saariaho took i...

This work was commissioned by Rudolf Steiner Foundation. It is dedicated to Anssi Karttunen, who gave the first performance in Helsinki on 10th September 2000. Sept papillons was the first piece Saari...

This composition was written quickly in a matter of days, however the composer describes the longer process of writing the piece as unconscious preparation. There are opposite elements on display with...

An unusual and visually compelling piece for solo Flute with optional Electronics. The work begins with a text by Saint-John Perse, spoken by the Flautist. Little by little, the instrument is raised t...

Composer's Note When I considered the ensemble of eight cellos, I first thought of matt and dark textures. I also wanted to go back to some ideas on symmetry. While I was pondering all that, I saw sno...

Written for three female voices (or female choir), crotale, violin and cello.

Kaija Saariaho (b. 1952) is a Finnish composer of chamber music, opera, orchestral works and electroacoustic music. Ballade was written for Emanuel Ax, who premiered the work at Wigmore Hall (London)...

First performed on 14th September 1997, at the Sibelius Academy Helsinki by John Storgårds, violin, the Avanti! Chamber Orchestra and Hannu Lintu, conductor.

Written for SA chorus and piano.

Je sens un deuxième coeur was commissioned for Emanuel Ax by The Carnegie Hall Corporation. The world premiere was given at the Judy and Arthur Zankel Hall, Carnegie Hall, New York City on 12 April 20...

Kaija Saariaho's 1980 work for Cello and Piano was commissioned by the Finnish Broadcasting Cooperation. It attempts to create the sudden and dramatic changes of the dream world; with bursts of colour...

An opera written in 2006. Kaija Saariaho's La Passion de Simone was commissioned jointly by the Vienna Festival, Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Barbican London and Lincoln Center New York. It was first...

Kaija Saariaho's Emilie Suite was a joint commission by Carnegie Hall, New York City, Cité de la Musique, Paris, Luzerner Sinfonieorchester and Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg. It was first per...

Tag des Jahrs for mixed choir and electronics was commissioned by the Tapiola Chamber Choir and the Helsinki Chamber Choir Week, with support from the Madetoja Foundation and the National Council for...

The set of parts for the original version of Miranda's Lament. Composed in 1997, the piece is part of 'The Tempest Songbook' and was dedicated as a birthday present for Paavo Heininen. The score for t...

Hypnotic Ciel Étoilé it means 'starry sky' in French uses the bass as a dark night of sound dotted with pointillist percussive sounds from the cymbals and crotales. The work is written in thirty-six b...

This setting of a text from Shakespeare's comedy The Tempest is written for Baritone soloist with a small chamber ensemble. Characterised by Saariaho's unusual and progressive instrumental writing, th...

The set of parts for the updated version of Miranda's Lament. Composed in 1997 and revised in 2000, the piece is part of 'The Tempest Songbook' and was dedicated as a birthday present for Paavo Heinin...

Written for solo viola and electronics.

Serenatas was commissioned by the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival and La Jolla Music Society for SummerFest. It was first performed in Summer 2008 as part of the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, given...

A splendid 1991 compostion by Saariaho for Four singers and live electronics. This version of the setting of text by Jacques Roubaud and Honore de Balzac, is for Solo voices (SATB) and electronics, wi...

A superb piece by the magnificent Kaija Saariaho completed in 1990. Oi Kuu translated as for a moon is set for Bass Clarinet and Cello with a duration of approximatley 6 minutes. It signalled a brief...

Gates is the second section from the ballet MAA, scored for Chamber group, tape and live electronics. Written in 1991, commissioned by the Finnish National Opera, this work beautifully demonstrates th...