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The ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sakari Oramo in the beguiling and beautiful music of the contemporary Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho.

'All day and night, music…' The ancient Persian poetry that inspired Kaija Saariaho’s Circle Map, a hybrid painting of Persian script and musical notation could serve as a motto for this ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Symphony Orchestra Total Immersion day. Sakari Oramo conducts the Orchestra in four orchestral works dating from 1989 to 2020 – including the UK premiere of the orchestral Saarikoski Songs, performed by their dedicatee, soprano Anu Komsi.

'It's always the inner space that interests me', says Saariaho, but when her creative imagination ignites, the human mind can accommodate the entire cosmos. From the ravishing cello concerto Notes on Light to the early landmark Du Cristal, this is music that uses every colour on the spectrum, and invents some new ones too – a spectacular conclusion to a day of total immersion in her expanding sonic universe.

Plus performances of Saariaho's chamber music by Guildhall Musicians, recorded at Milton Court Concert Hall during the Total Immersion day.

Recorded at the Barbican, London on Sunday 7th May 2023 at the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ SO's Total Immersion day.
Presented by Andrew McGregor

Kaija Saariaho: Du Cristal
Kaija Saariaho Notes on Light#

20.20
Interval: Guildhall Musicians perform chamber works by Kaija Saariaho.

Kaija Saariaho: Changing Light
Ana Balestra (soprano)
Isabelle Harris (flute)

Kaija Saariaho: Spins and Spells
Gabriel Francis-Dehqani (cello)

20.40
Kaija Saariaho: Saarikoski Songs*, UK Premiere
Kaija Saariaho: Circle Map

Anssi Karttunen (cello)#
Anu Komsi (soprano)*
³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Symphony Orchestra
Sakari Oramo (conductor)

21:40
Guildhall Musicians perform chamber works by Kaija Saariaho.

Kaija Saariaho: Caliices
Jeff Yunzhe Wu (violin)
David Palmer (piano)