Works for orchestra / large ensemble with soloists
Violin Concerto: A Requiem
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Composed: 2022-2023
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Violin and orchestra: 2 flutes (2nd doubling piccolo), 2 oboes, 2 clarinets in Bb (2nd doubling bass clarinet in Bb), 2 bassoons, 2 horns in F, 2 trumpets in C, percussion (1 player), solo violin, strings (minimum: 6.4.4.2.2, preferred: 8.6.5.4.3)
Movements:
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I. De profundis
II. Alcheringa
III. Ad lucem
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Duration: ca. 26'
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Commissioned by and written to Maria Puusaari with support from Madetoja Foundation and Teosto Commission Fund
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​Sheet music available from Edition Wilhelm Hansen (Wise Music Classical)
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First performance: details TBA
Composer's note to Violin Concerto: A Requiem, published by Edition Wilhelm Hansen
My Violin Concerto is a Requiem to an unborn life. A deeply personal work for me, this concerto draws its inspiration from such profound personal experiences as unwanted infertility, and the experiences and thoughts that arose during this very difficult journey of dealing with unwanted childlessness.
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The music progresses from anger and frustration in the first movement, De profundis, to a dreamlike state in the second movement, Alcheringa*, where glimpses of hope emerge, only to disappear again.
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In the last movement, Ad lucem, the music embarks on a journey, trying to reach the light, reminding of one's need to hold on to hope.
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Violin Concerto: A Requiem was commissioned by Maria Puusaari and is dedicated to her. The commission was made possible with kind support from Madetoja Foundation and Teosto Commission Fund.
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*Alcheringa, an Arandic language term, refers to Australian Aboriginal beliefs of Dreaming, Dreamtime, or "Everywhen", a myth of creation and, in a larger context, a concept that embraces past, present and future. Another definition suggests that Dreaming represents how the relationships between people, animals, plants and the land came to be and how they need to be maintained.
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It is argued that the term itself is based on a misunderstanding or mistranslation, and that the closer meaning of Alcheringa could be "eternal" or "uncreated".
Clair II
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Composed: 2020-2021
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Clarinet and large ensemble: 1 flute, 1 oboe, 1 clarinet in Bb, 1 bassoon, 1 horn in F, solo clarinet in Bb, strings (1.1.1.1.1)
Duration: ca. 16'
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Commissioned by the Seinäjoki City Orchestra
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Dedicated to Lauri Sallinen and the Seinäjoki City Orchestra
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First performance: Lauri Sallinen, clarinet, the Seinäjoki City Orchestra, Seinäjoki hall, Seinäjoki, September 16, 2021
The original date for the first performance was January 21, 2021, but the performance was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic
Clair II: work commentary in English
Clair II has been in the making for quite some time. Back in 2012, Lauri Sallinen commissioned and premiered my work Clair sketches for clarinet, bandoneón and string quartet in his debut concert at The Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. During the composition process of Clair sketches I ended up having a bunch of material that didn't make it to the final piece. Five years later in 2017, some of that extra material, combined with the material from Clair sketches served as a basis for a new work, Clair, for the same ensemble, now with the addition of optional dancers. Clair was premiered in 2017 by Lauri Sallinen, Henrik Sandås and the Nordlyd String Quartet from Oslo, Norway at Kaivos Festival in Outokumpu, Finland.
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Some years later Lauri proposed an idea to arrange Clair for a bigger ensemble, namely the core ensemble of The Seinäjoki City Orchestra, composed of a wind quintet and a string quintet. This intriguing idea led to a commission from The Seinäjoki City Orchestra. What begun as an arrangement project shaped up to be a new work, Clair II for clarinet and large ensemble. Clair II combines material from both Clair sketches and Clair, with completely new material added to the whole.
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Clair II was composed in late 2020 and the beginning of 2021 in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. The original premiere date planned for January 2021 had to be rescheduled due to the pandemic regulations. Lauri Sallinen premiered the work with The Seinäjoki City Orchestra on September 16, 2021, at the Seinäjoki Hall in Seinäjoki, Finland.
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My warmest thanks to Lauri for his collaboration with this and many earlier works of mine and to The Seinäjoki City Orchestra for the commission.
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– Markku Klami, 2022
Värein
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Composed: 2016
4 percussionists (marimba, 2 xylophones, vibraphone, Gran cassa, Tam-tam), piano, strings (young players)
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Duration: ca. 11'
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Commissioned by the East Helsinki Music Institute for their 50th Anniversary
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Dedicated to The Helsinki Strings, their conductor Jukka Rantamäki and the East Helsinki Music Institute on their 50th Anniversary
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First performance: students of the East Helsinki Music Institute and the Helsinki Strings, cond. Jukka Rantamäki, Temple Rock Church, Helsinki, May 26, 2016
FUME
Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra
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Composed: 2008, revised in 2010
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Clarinet and orchestra: 2 flutes (2nd doubling alto flute), 2 oboes (2nd doubling English horn), 2 clarinets in Bb, 2 bassoons, 2 horns in F, 2 trumpets in C, percussion (1 player), piano, solo clarinet in Bb, strings (6.4.4.4.2 minimum)
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Placement of the orchestra: both clarinets of the orchestra are placed off-stage behind the audience, in the left & right corner of the concert hall
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Movements:
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I ...bursting into...
II ...a serenade...
III ...to one out of reach,
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Duration: ca. 23'
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Dedicated to Lauri Sallinen
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Selected to the Jury's list of recommended works in the 2nd International Uuno Klami Composition Competition 2009
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First performance: Lauri Sallinen, clarinet, Avanti! Orchestra, cond. Jani Telaranta, Ung Nordisk Musik: COLLISION! Festival, Concert hall of Sibelius Academy, Helsinki, September 24, 2010
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First public broadcast (live broadcast of the concert on September 24, 2010): Lauri Sallinen, clarinet, Avanti! Chamber Orchestra, cond. Jani Telaranta, YLE Radio 1, Finnish Broadcasting Company, September 24, 2010
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Listen to FUME on:
FUME: work commentary in English
FUME is my first concerto work and I wrote it especially for Lauri Sallinen. This marvellous musician (and also a very nice person) was of much help during the writing process of the work. I'm forever grateful for all his comments on my ideas and writings during the composing process. FUME was selected to the Jury's list of recommended works in the tremendously successful 2nd International Uuno Klami Composition Competition in 2009. Today my concerto receives its first performance by a group of fine musicians. FUME is dedicated to Lauri Sallinen.
I don't find it important or necessary to give a written depiction of my works and this is why you won't get any detailed product description or user's manual of this work, either. For me, the most captivating and impressing experiences in music throughout the years have always been solely on the level of emotions and feelings. In my opinion one cannot find sufficiently satisfying words to depict these strong emotions and feelings. This is why I want to stay out from writing any pompous and allegedly intelligent statements filled with professional jargon (something you might come across in work commentaries).
– Markku Klami, work commentary for the premiere performance, September 2010
FUME: teoskommentti suomeksi
FUME on ensimmäinen konserttoteokseni, ja kirjoitin sen varta vasten Lauri Salliselle. Tämä hieno ja upea muusikko ja muutenkin mukava kaveri oli suureksi avuksi kommentoidessaan tekemisiäni sävellystyön aikana ja tästä olenkin hänelle ikuisesti kiitollinen. FUME valittiin tuomariston suosituslistalle valtavan osanottajamäärän saaneessa 2. kansainvälisessä Uuno Klami -sävellyskilpailussa vuonna 2009, ja tänä iltana se saa kantaesityksensä hienojen muusikoiden käsissä. FUME on omistettu kantaesittäjälleen Lauri Salliselle.
En pidä teosteni sanallista kuvailua mitenkään tärkeänä taikka tarpeellisena ja tästä syystä ette pääse lukemaan tämän tarkempaa tuoteselostetta taikka käyttöohjetta. Kautta vuosien erilaisista musiikeista saamani vaikuttavimmat elämykset ovat aina olleet täysin tunteiden ja olotilojen tasolla. Nämä hyvin kokonaisvaltaiset tuntemukset tuntuvat pakenevan kaikenlaista sanallista kuvailua – mitkään sanat eivät riitä niitä kuvailemaan lähellekään tyydyttävällä tasolla. Siksi näiden vahvojen tuntemusten nylkeminen ja näivettäminen itseään hienommaksi sanahelinäksi on jotain, johon en aio ryhtyä.
– Markku Klami, teoskommentti kantaesitykseen, syyskuu 2010
In singleness...
"An elegy with a certain sense of hope"
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Composed: 2007
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Text: William Shakespeare: Sonnet No.8
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Soprano and small orchestra: 1 flute, 1 oboe, 1 clarinet in Bb, 1 bassoon, 2 horns in F, 2 trumpets in C, 2 trombones, harp, 1 percussion, piano, solo soprano, strings (6.6.4.4.2)
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Duration: 3'
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First performance: Eija Räisänen, soprano, Avanti! Chamber Orchestra, cond. Magnus Lindberg, XXII Avanti! Summer Sounds Festival, Art Factory, Porvoo, June 29, 2007
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First performance outside Finland: Minna Laukkanen, mezzosoprano and Symfoniorkestern Pro Musica, cond. Glenn Mossop, Stockholm, Sweden, October 4, 2009
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Optional version for soprano and chamber orchestra: 1 flute, 1 oboe, 1 clarinet in Bb, 1 bassoon, 2 horns in F, 2 trumpets in C, 1 trombone, 1 tuba, 1 percussion, harp, piano, solo soprano, strings (5.4.3.2.1)
Duration: 3'15"
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First performance: Mia Heikkinen, soprano, Chamber Orchestra UNKO (New Young Chamber Orchestra), cond. Jani Telaranta, Opening concert of 30th Anniversary Festival of Ears Open Society, Concert hall of Sibelius Academy, Helsinki, November 24, 2007
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First public broadcast (recording of a live concert on November 24, 2007): Mia Heikkinen, soprano, Chamber Orchestra UNKO, cond. Jani Telaranta, YLE Radio 1, Finnish Broadcasting Company, November 29, 2007
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Listen to In singleness... on:
In singleness…: work commentary in English
In singleness... was written for a workshop at Avanti! Summer Sounds 2007 Festival. The music is a setting to Sonnet No. 8 "Music to hear" by William Shakespeare. Due to the maximum duration of only three minutes given for the compositions, I had to omit the first chapter of the Sonnet No. 8 from the soprano part.
Experimenting with four-note all-interval chords when composing this work, I managed to find ways to bring together the pitch-class oriented harmonies and melodic motifs with my leaning onto somewhat neo-romantic qualities in music, to which I was drawn to at the time.
– Markku Klami, work commentary, August 2019
In singleness…: teoskommentti suomeksi
Sävelsin In singleness… -teoksen sopraanolle ja orkesterille sävellysworkshopiin Avanti!n Suvisoitto -festivaalille 2007. Tekstinä on William Shakespearen 8. sonetti. Koska sävellyksille annettiin kolmen minuutin maksimikesto, jouduin jättämään sonetin ensimmäisen kappaleen pois sopraanon osuudesta.
Sävellysprosessin aikana tutustuin nelisävelisiin sointuihin, jotka eri transpositioina sisältävät kaikki kromaattisesta asteikosta oktaavin sisällä löytyvät intervallit. Vaikka nämä joukkoluokkateoriaan pohjaavat harmoniset rakenteet ja melodiset motiivit olivatkin sävellystyön pohjana, onnistuin mielestäni yhdistämään nämä teoreettiset lähtökohdat jossain määrin uusromanttiseen sävelkieleen, johon tuolloin tunsin vetoa.
– Markku Klami, teoskommentti, elokuu 2019