Kaija Saariaho (b 1952)

Series

Episode

Title

First
Broadcast

Comments

2020

Collaborations

20201012

Donald Macleod talks to the award-winning Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho about why she enjoys the collaborative process, with music from her Clarinet Concerto and Notes on Light.

`Music is a study of my own self and of the human spirit`, so says the Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho. Her passion for music is all consuming, with the inspiration to compose reflecting the breadth of her interests, in poetry, literature, fine arts, and cinematography to name but a few.

One of the foremost composers of our time, Kaija Saariaho was born in 1952 in Helsinki. She studied with the modernist Paavo Heininen, before founding the pioneering `Ears Open` group with fellow composer Magnus Lindberg. Her studies continued in Freiburg with Brian Fernyhough and Klaus Huber at the Darmstadt summer courses, and then at the ground-breaking IRCAM research institute in Paris.

Earlier this year Donald Macleod and Kaija Saariaho met up in Paris, the city where she's made her home since 1982, to talk about five contrasting aspects of her music.

In the first part of this extended interview Kaija Saariaho has chosen to talk about the process of collaboration. Working with performers such as the cellist Anssi Karttunen, the flautist Camilla Hoitenga and the clarinettist Kari Kriiku, who've also become good friends, she talks about the music she's written for them to play.

D'Om le vrai sens (excerpt)

Kari Kriiku, clarinet

Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra

Sakari Oramo, conductor

Notes on Light for cello and orchestra

II: On fire

III: Awakening

Orchestre de Paris

Anssi Karttunen, cello

Christophe Eschenbach, conductor

Noa Noa for flute and electronics

Camille Hoitenga, flute

III : L'Odorat

IV : Le Toucher

Produced by Johannah Smith for BBC Cymru Wales

Donald Macleod talks to Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho about the collaborative process.

2020

Orchestral And Chamber Music

20201013

Donald Macleod talks to Kaija Saariaho about the scope she finds both in writing for large scale instrumental forces and the intimacy of writing for small groups.

Earlier this year Donald Macleod and Kaija Saariaho met up in Paris, the city where she's made her home since 1982, to talk about five contrasting aspects of her music.

Today Kaija Saariaho has chosen to talk about the differences in the canvasses and why she finds enjoyment in writing orchestral and chamber works.

Orion for Orchestra

I: Memento mori

Orchestre de Paris

Christoph Eschenbach, conductor

Nocturne for solo violin

Aliisa Neige Barri耀re, violin

Cloud Trio

IV : movement : Tranquillo ma sempre molto espressivo

Aristos Trio

Szymon Krzeszowiec, violin

Jakob Kullberg, cello

Alexander ؀llgaard, viola

Laterna Magica

Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra

Sakari Oramo, conductor

Donald Macleod talks to Kaija Saariaho about instrumental music, including Laterna Magica.

2020

Electronics

20201014

Donald Macleod talks to Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho about the role electronics plays in her music, with music including Circle Map, LIchtbogen and Lonh.

Earlier this year Donald Macleod and Kaija Saariaho met up in Paris, the city in which she's made her home since 1982, to talk about five contrasting aspects of her music.

In the third part of their conversation Kaija Saariaho talks about her pioneering work in the field of electronics, from her early days at IRCAM in Paris to present day.

Circle Map (excerpt)

Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra

Cl退ment Mao-Takacs, conductor

Jardin secret II for harpsichord and tape

Jukka Tiensuu, harpsichord

Finlandia Records

Lichtbogen for nine musicians and live electronics (excerpt)

Member of Avanti Chamber Orchestra

Jukka-Pekka Saraste, conductor

Lonh for voice and electronics

Rapha뀀le Kennedy, soprano

V. Dialogue

VI. Day and Night,

Donald Macleod talks to Kaija Saariaho about the role of electronics in her music.

2020

The Human Voice

20201015

Donald Macleod discovers why Kaija Saariaho loves writing vocal music, including her setting of four texts by the Finnish poet Eino Leino.

Earlier this year Donald Macleod and Kaija Saariaho met up in Paris, the city in which she's made her home since 1982, to talk about five contrasting aspects of her music.

Today Kaija Saariaho has elected to talk to Donald about the reasons why she loves writing for the voice, why she was once told by her teacher Paavo Heininen to stop writing for vocal music altogether, and the different ways in which she has used that medium in her music.

Quatre Instants (excerpt)

Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg, Orchestre National

Marko Letonja, conductor

II : Douleur - Torment

III: Parfum de l'instant

Karita Mattila, soprano

Martin Katz, piano

Nuits, adieux for mixed choir and 4 soloists

Ditte Marie Br怀in, Astrid Sandvand Dahlen, ؀ystein Stensheim, Olle Holmgren, soloists

The Norwegian Soloists' Choir

Grete Pedersen, director

True Fire for baritone and orchestra (excerpt)

Gerald Finley, bass

Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra

Hannu Lintu, conductor

Leino Songs

Anu Komsi, soprano

Sakari Oramo, conductor

Donald Macleod finds out why Kaija Saariaho loves writing vocal music.

2020

05 LAST

Opera

20201016

Donald Macleod talks to Kaija Saariaho about the genesis of her award winning opera L'amour de loin and why she once famously said she would never write an opera!

Earlier this year Donald Macleod and Kaija Saariaho met up in Paris, the city in which she's made her home since 1982, to talk about five contrasting aspects of her music.

In the final part of their conversation Donald and Kaija Saariaho talk about the huge success she has enjoyed with her first operatic venture, l'amour de loin and the diversity of the series of stage works that followed, and her life-long fascination with the writing and life of the philosopher and activist Simone Weil.

L'amour de loin, Act 4 excerpt

Marie-Ange Todorovitch, mezzo-soprano, Le P退lerin

Daniel Belcher, tenor, Jaufr退 Rudel

Berlin Radio Chorus

Berlin Symphony Orchestra

Kent Nagano, conductor

La passion de Simone for soprano solo, choir, orchestra and electronics (excerpt)

Dawn Upshaw (soprano)

Tapiola Chamber Choir, Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra

Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor

Only the Sound Remains (excerpt)

Philippe Jaroussky, countertenor, Spirit

Davon退 Tines, baritone, Priest

Dudok Quartet

Eija Ankaanranta, kantele

Camilla Hoitenga, flute

Niek Kleinjan, percussion

Nederlands Kamerkoor

L'amour de loin, Act 5

Final prayer

Ekaterina Lekhina, soprano, Cl退mence

Donald Macleod talks to Kaija Saariaho about her award-winning opera L'amour de loin.

Episodes

Series	Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Comments
2020	01	Collaborations	20201012	Donald Macleod talks to the award-winning Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho about why she enjoys the collaborative process, with music from her Clarinet Concerto and Notes on Light. `Music is a study of my own self and of the human spirit`, so says the Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho. Her passion for music is all consuming, with the inspiration to compose reflecting the breadth of her interests, in poetry, literature, fine arts, and cinematography to name but a few. One of the foremost composers of our time, Kaija Saariaho was born in 1952 in Helsinki. She studied with the modernist Paavo Heininen, before founding the pioneering `Ears Open` group with fellow composer Magnus Lindberg. Her studies continued in Freiburg with Brian Fernyhough and Klaus Huber at the Darmstadt summer courses, and then at the ground-breaking IRCAM research institute in Paris. Earlier this year Donald Macleod and Kaija Saariaho met up in Paris, the city where she's made her home since 1982, to talk about five contrasting aspects of her music. In the first part of this extended interview Kaija Saariaho has chosen to talk about the process of collaboration. Working with performers such as the cellist Anssi Karttunen, the flautist Camilla Hoitenga and the clarinettist Kari Kriiku, who've also become good friends, she talks about the music she's written for them to play. D'Om le vrai sens (excerpt) Kari Kriiku, clarinet Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra Sakari Oramo, conductor Notes on Light for cello and orchestra II: On fire III: Awakening Orchestre de Paris Anssi Karttunen, cello Christophe Eschenbach, conductor Noa Noa for flute and electronics Camille Hoitenga, flute III : L'Odorat IV : Le Toucher Produced by Johannah Smith for BBC Cymru Wales Donald Macleod talks to Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho about the collaborative process.
2020	02	Orchestral And Chamber Music	20201013	Donald Macleod talks to Kaija Saariaho about the scope she finds both in writing for large scale instrumental forces and the intimacy of writing for small groups. `Music is a study of my own self and of the human spirit`, so says the Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho. Her passion for music is all consuming, with the inspiration to compose reflecting the breadth of her interests, in poetry, literature, fine arts, and cinematography to name but a few. One of the foremost composers of our time, Kaija Saariaho was born in 1952 in Helsinki. She studied with the modernist Paavo Heininen, before founding the pioneering `Ears Open` group with fellow composer Magnus Lindberg. Her studies continued in Freiburg with Brian Fernyhough and Klaus Huber at the Darmstadt summer courses, and then at the ground-breaking IRCAM research institute in Paris. Earlier this year Donald Macleod and Kaija Saariaho met up in Paris, the city where she's made her home since 1982, to talk about five contrasting aspects of her music. Today Kaija Saariaho has chosen to talk about the differences in the canvasses and why she finds enjoyment in writing orchestral and chamber works. Orion for Orchestra I: Memento mori Orchestre de Paris Christoph Eschenbach, conductor Nocturne for solo violin Aliisa Neige Barri耀re, violin Cloud Trio IV : movement : Tranquillo ma sempre molto espressivo Aristos Trio Szymon Krzeszowiec, violin Jakob Kullberg, cello Alexander ؀llgaard, viola Laterna Magica Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra Sakari Oramo, conductor Donald Macleod talks to Kaija Saariaho about instrumental music, including Laterna Magica.
2020	03	Electronics	20201014	Donald Macleod talks to Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho about the role electronics plays in her music, with music including Circle Map, LIchtbogen and Lonh. `Music is a study of my own self and of the human spirit`, so says the Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho. Her passion for music is all consuming, with the inspiration to compose reflecting the breadth of her interests, in poetry, literature, fine arts, and cinematography to name but a few. One of the foremost composers of our time, Kaija Saariaho was born in 1952 in Helsinki. She studied with the modernist Paavo Heininen, before founding the pioneering `Ears Open` group with fellow composer Magnus Lindberg. Her studies continued in Freiburg with Brian Fernyhough and Klaus Huber at the Darmstadt summer courses, and then at the ground-breaking IRCAM research institute in Paris. Earlier this year Donald Macleod and Kaija Saariaho met up in Paris, the city in which she's made her home since 1982, to talk about five contrasting aspects of her music. In the third part of their conversation Kaija Saariaho talks about her pioneering work in the field of electronics, from her early days at IRCAM in Paris to present day. Circle Map (excerpt) Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra Cl退ment Mao-Takacs, conductor Jardin secret II for harpsichord and tape Jukka Tiensuu, harpsichord Finlandia Records Lichtbogen for nine musicians and live electronics (excerpt) Member of Avanti Chamber Orchestra Jukka-Pekka Saraste, conductor Lonh for voice and electronics Rapha뀀le Kennedy, soprano V. Dialogue VI. Day and Night, Donald Macleod talks to Kaija Saariaho about the role of electronics in her music.
2020	04	The Human Voice	20201015	Donald Macleod discovers why Kaija Saariaho loves writing vocal music, including her setting of four texts by the Finnish poet Eino Leino. `Music is a study of my own self and of the human spirit`, so says the Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho. Her passion for music is all consuming, with the inspiration to compose reflecting the breadth of her interests, in poetry, literature, fine arts, and cinematography to name but a few. One of the foremost composers of our time, Kaija Saariaho was born in 1952 in Helsinki. She studied with the modernist Paavo Heininen, before founding the pioneering `Ears Open` group with fellow composer Magnus Lindberg. Her studies continued in Freiburg with Brian Fernyhough and Klaus Huber at the Darmstadt summer courses, and then at the ground-breaking IRCAM research institute in Paris. Earlier this year Donald Macleod and Kaija Saariaho met up in Paris, the city in which she's made her home since 1982, to talk about five contrasting aspects of her music. Today Kaija Saariaho has elected to talk to Donald about the reasons why she loves writing for the voice, why she was once told by her teacher Paavo Heininen to stop writing for vocal music altogether, and the different ways in which she has used that medium in her music. Quatre Instants (excerpt) Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg, Orchestre National Marko Letonja, conductor II : Douleur - Torment III: Parfum de l'instant Karita Mattila, soprano Martin Katz, piano Nuits, adieux for mixed choir and 4 soloists Ditte Marie Br怀in, Astrid Sandvand Dahlen, ؀ystein Stensheim, Olle Holmgren, soloists The Norwegian Soloists' Choir Grete Pedersen, director True Fire for baritone and orchestra (excerpt) Gerald Finley, bass Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra Hannu Lintu, conductor Leino Songs Anu Komsi, soprano Sakari Oramo, conductor Donald Macleod finds out why Kaija Saariaho loves writing vocal music.
2020	05 LAST	Opera	20201016	Donald Macleod talks to Kaija Saariaho about the genesis of her award winning opera L'amour de loin and why she once famously said she would never write an opera! `Music is a study of my own self and of the human spirit`, so says the Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho. Her passion for music is all consuming, with the inspiration to compose reflecting the breadth of her interests, in poetry, literature, fine arts, and cinematography to name but a few. One of the foremost composers of our time, Kaija Saariaho was born in 1952 in Helsinki. She studied with the modernist Paavo Heininen, before founding the pioneering `Ears Open` group with fellow composer Magnus Lindberg. Her studies continued in Freiburg with Brian Fernyhough and Klaus Huber at the Darmstadt summer courses, and then at the ground-breaking IRCAM research institute in Paris. Earlier this year Donald Macleod and Kaija Saariaho met up in Paris, the city in which she's made her home since 1982, to talk about five contrasting aspects of her music. In the final part of their conversation Donald and Kaija Saariaho talk about the huge success she has enjoyed with her first operatic venture, l'amour de loin and the diversity of the series of stage works that followed, and her life-long fascination with the writing and life of the philosopher and activist Simone Weil. L'amour de loin, Act 4 excerpt Marie-Ange Todorovitch, mezzo-soprano, Le P退lerin Daniel Belcher, tenor, Jaufr退 Rudel Berlin Radio Chorus Berlin Symphony Orchestra Kent Nagano, conductor La passion de Simone for soprano solo, choir, orchestra and electronics (excerpt) Dawn Upshaw (soprano) Tapiola Chamber Choir, Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor Only the Sound Remains (excerpt) Philippe Jaroussky, countertenor, Spirit Davon退 Tines, baritone, Priest Dudok Quartet Eija Ankaanranta, kantele Camilla Hoitenga, flute Niek Kleinjan, percussion Nederlands Kamerkoor L'amour de loin, Act 5 Final prayer Ekaterina Lekhina, soprano, Cl退mence Donald Macleod talks to Kaija Saariaho about her award-winning opera L'amour de loin.