Saariaho: Mirrors for flute and violoncello (Version I) Leino Songs for soprano and piano: I Sua katselen II Sydän III Rauha IV Iltarukous
Mirage for soprano, violoncello and piano Mirrors (Version II)
Sibelius: Romance op. 78 No. 2 for violoncello and piano Komm herbei, Tod op. 60 No. 1 Im Feld ein Mädchen singt op. 50 No. 3 Aus banger Brust op. 50 No. 4 Die stille Stadt op. 50 No. 5 Granen op. 75 No. 5 for piano solo Till tranaden for piano solo Svarta rosor op. 36 No. 1 Den första kyssen op. 37 No. 1 Var det en dröm? op. 37 No. 4 Flickan kom ifran sin älsklings möte op. 37 No. 5 Tanken (duet for two voices and piano)
What does Finland sound like? Is there a Finnish sound? Is the answer to this question found in vast snowy landscapes or bright midsummer nights? Is it the feeling of endless tranquility and silence on the footpath along a secluded lake? Is it the hard road to independence, is it “sisu” (the Finnish word for perseverance and strength), or is it the melancholy in Finnish music that moves us? Were nature and history also the inspiration for the two composers on this CD, Jean Sibelius and Kaija Saariaho? Perhaps it is Finland’s cultural position between Slavic gloom and the Western European attitude towards life that makes the Finnish musical language so unique. Kaija Saariaho is one of the most popular contemporary composers and has long been at home in international concert halls. She has lived in Paris for the most part for 20 years, studied in Freiburg, has received numerous accolades in recent years – including Composer of the Year by the magazine Musical America – and nevertheless feels connected to her native country. In her compositions, vocal, instrumental, and electronic elements blend in a richly facetted, colorful musical language.