Description

At the beginning of June I was composing the finale of Trapeze when I suddenly heard that Kaija Saariaho has died. Her music has set for the last ten years an important example for me. Especially her trio Cendres for alto flute, cello and piano has been and still is for me one of the dearest of her compositions, to which I regularly come back to and every time learn something new. I’m very honoured that Sibelius Academy arranged a master class with her in the spring 2022 just when I was finishing my studies. I was able to get answers directly from Kaija for many questions in her music that I had been thinking about. In the master class I felt warmly welcomed and heard by her. In this quintet in many places I process many things I’ve experienced when listening to her music. Kaija’s echo will surely always follow me: dark and bright, lush and fragile, atmosphere constantly changing. I dedicate this quintet to her memory.

Olli Moilanen

Instrumentation

fl+bfl, vln, vla, vlc, pno

Category

Chamber Works

Premiere

Uusinta Ensemble, February 2, 2024, Helsinki

Commisioned by / dedications

Commissioned by Uusinta Ensemble. Dedicated to the memory of Kaija Saariaho

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More

• Listen to Trapeze on YouTube

Archive number

MF35466

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