Kalevi Aho(born 1949)

[Mirror Image]

Symphony #9 is indeed a great piece. Fun and energetic.
Some of my favourites from Aho besides sym#9 include the Flute concerto, Clarinet concerto, Chamber symphonies 2-3 (recently released), Chinese Songs, Symphonies 3, 4, 11 (listen to the last movement, it's like you're in a sweet dream with some nightmares off and on), 12, 14.. But I do enjoy other stuff too, depends on my mood.
Can't wait for the release of Symphony #15. What a fantastic piece, I only have a radio recording of it. I heard BIS made a recording of it last summer with Slobodeniouk/Lahti SO, but so far it hasn't been released.
Aho seems to be a very productive composer, I think he had (or will have) four premieres this year. I hear he follows some kind of strict schedule that allows him to compose so much. How he keeps the level so high and keeps coming up with new ideas is beyond me. The latest I've heard of him are concertos for Percussion and Trombone. Both great pieces, unsurprisingly.


-r

Thanks for your feedback, radi. Last night I listened to Symphonic Dances and thought it was absolutely thrilling. A first-rate work. I didn't think much of Symphony No. 3, but I know I'll need to listen to it again. Loved the Chinese Songs. Anyway, I'm still very new to this composer, but so far he's been quite consistent in what I've heard.

[nochmal]

Aho seems to be a very productive composer, I think he had (or will have) four premieres this year. I hear he follows some kind of strict schedule that allows him to compose so much. How he keeps the level so high and keeps coming up with new ideas is beyond me.

I remember seeing an interview with him, where he said something like (I paraphrase from memory) "I don't do drafts – I start writing from the first page, and then continue to the end." I guess skipping a step saves some time? 

[radi]

I remember seeing an interview with him, where he said something like (I paraphrase from memory) "I don't do drafts – I start writing from the first page, and then continue to the end." I guess skipping a step saves some time? 

True. He only uses sketches rarely, just writes straight to the empty score pages with a pencil, and doesn't use computers. In an interview a few years ago he said (I'll try to translate): "You should be able to hear the music without tools (a computer). If a composer can't do that, then he's not a professional."
I'll try to translate parts of a radio interview from last March about his composing methods: "It's disciplined but not really inconceivable. My habit is to make complete scores without sketches. It speeds up the work immensely. You have to have a lot of experience to be able to write without sketches. You have to be really controlled and have a bright mind, you can't drink beer or anything. You have to be stone-cold sober ... As I've had a lot of commissions, I've learned to estimate how long it takes to write a single work. For example, I set aside four months for a concerto, six months for a symphony, an opera 1,5-2 years, chamber works a month or two, like big quintets and quartets ... Considering that I write a page a day, it means 120 pages in four months. Or if I write two pages a day then in four months it's quite a lot. Usually in works for orchestra I write two pages a day, and have some free days too, but still in four months it makes quite a lot of music." About using computers he says "It's a conscious decision. I've learned to use two composing software, Finale and Sibelius, and I tried to use them but I hated that the computer is there in between, and when you write a score you never see the whole page but only half of the page and you have to constantly move it up and down and take copies. For me it's much faster to write by hand, besides you get to see your own writing, your own work there. And also you can see two pages at a time. Even if they're only half-completed you'll get a better idea of the whole body."
About his near-future schedule he revealed that he's just begun writing an opera which is planned to be premiered in September 2014 in Helsinki. After that he's supposed to write two concerti, his second violin concerto and a concerto for soprano saxophone. And on to the 16th symphony after that...
About (SA)CD releases on BIS, I quote bissie on sa-cd.net: "It is going to be a bumper Aho year, starting with part 1 of his organ music in August (BIS-SACD-1946) and followed up with the Oboe Concerto (a really great piece) in November (BIS-SACD-1876), followed by...."

I hope you guys found something interesting in this post. 


-radi

edit: About the release schedule of the 15th symphony bissie wrote: "Kalevi Aho's 15th Symphony will, according to plan, be released in March of 2014, together with the Double-bass Concerto and Minea."
Sadly it's a long wait.. Well, at least I don't need to be holding my breath for a while anymore.

[lescamil]

Nice to see that there are more recordings in the works. I have to say that Minea is perhaps the best concise illustration of what Aho's music currently has to offer, and it will be good to get a commercial recordings of it.

Is Slobodeniouk the new guy for Aho? Vänskä did a great job with everything thus far, and I'd hate for him to fall out of the picture completely. I haven't heard much of Slobodeniouk, so I really don't know what to make of this. At least the Lahti players are going to continue in this series.

[radi]

Nice to see that there are more recordings in the works. I have to say that Minea is perhaps the best concise illustration of what Aho's music currently has to offer, and it will be good to get a commercial recordings of it.

Is Slobodeniouk the new guy for Aho? Vänskä did a great job with everything thus far, and I'd hate for him to fall out of the picture completely. I haven't heard much of Slobodeniouk, so I really don't know what to make of this. At least the Lahti players are going to continue in this series.

Yeah, Minea is a great piece indeed. I like how it builds up from something small to an enormous virtuosic piece with complex rhythms and the full orchestra involved. Dare I say it's like Aho's Bolero. Nooooo, I didn't say that! 
Somehow I've always felt that Symphony #15 is sort of related to Minea, except with more drama. Maybe it's the percussion sections that make me feel so.

I don't know if Slobodeniouk will be "the new guy". Lahti SO these days is led by Okko Kamu, but I've yet to hear him interpret Aho. Wouldn't worry about either of them though, both are very good conductors. Of course I wouldn't mind Vänskä recording Aho in the future. Perhaps something with the Minnesota Orchestra, I think that would be interesting. Or they might use various conductors and orchestras. The Contrabassoon Concerto was recorded with Bergen PO/Litton, Tuba Concerto with Norrköping SO/Rondin, Chamber Symphonies 1-2 with Tapiola Sinfonietta/Asbury and #3 with Kantorow, Sym#14 with CO of Lapland/Storgårds. All of those recordings are the more recent ones so it seems they don't use the same forces on every recording anymore.

-radi

[lescamil]

That's right, I forgot that many recent recordings were made with other conductors/orchestras. I haven't heard one substandard recording yet, so I trust Slobodeniouk's recordings will be great, also.

Also, Minea is better than Bolero, heh.

[Mirror Image]

I rather like Aho's music now. I bought most of his recording on BIS and have went through them, but it seems now I appreciate his music much more. I listened to Symphonic Dances after a long hiatus and what a powerful work. Absolutely smoldering rhythms and the harmonic language was quite appealing. I'll be revisiting more of his music in the future.

[snyprrr]

Thanks for your feedback, radi. Last night I listened to Symphonic Dances and thought it was absolutely thrilling. A first-rate work. I didn't think much of Symphony No. 3, but I know I'll need to listen to it again. Loved the Chinese Songs. Anyway, I'm still very new to this composer, but so far he's been quite consistent in what I've heard.

Here's your Post from June. You still like the word 'absolutely' I see!

You know I want to know which Symphonies you liked... tap, tap, tap! Especially from 8 onwards.

[Mirror Image]

Here's your Post from June. You still like the word 'absolutely' I see!

You know I want to know which Symphonies you liked... tap, tap, tap! Especially from 8 onwards.

Oh...absolutely.

Anyway, I don't remember one note from his symphonies. I listened to Symphony No. 1 earlier and while it was a nice 'in the moment' kind of listening experience, I came away with nothing from it. That said, I'm going to try another symphony tomorrow. Maybe it will fare better.

[lescamil]

Aho didn't really find his own until from Symphony No. 7 onwards. The first symphony is a great little mishmash of influences from Shostakovich, Mahler, and his other idols that he composed when he was about 22, so it's hardly an indicator of his quality. I would suggest starting at the 7th symphony and moving onwards. When you actually develop a taste for Aho, then look at the earlier symphonies, which are great in their own right, but not for people starting out with his music.

[snyprrr]

Aho didn't really find his own until from Symphony No. 7 onwards. The first symphony is a great little mishmash of influences from Shostakovich, Mahler, and his other idols that he composed when he was about 22, so it's hardly an indicator of his quality. I would suggest starting at the 7th symphony and moving onwards. When you actually develop a taste for Aho, then look at the earlier symphonies, which are great in their own right, but not for people starting out with his music.

It seems everything after the 7th is a monster:

No.8 (Organ Symphony) w/Pergamon

No.9 (Trombone Symphony) w/Cello Concerto

No.10 w/"...rejoicing..."

No.11 w/Symphonic Dances

No.12 ("Luosto", the 'mountain' one)

No.13??...

(     )

(     )


9, 11, or 12,... maybe 8,... that's what I'm curious about.

In my mind's eye, I hear a kaleidoscopic symphonic organic-ism,... in other words, I've formed EXPECTATIONS!,... so, I NEED the Aho that will fulfill those expectations, and I'm just sure that one of them will.

Which Aho will you live your life with?

[Mirror Image]

Aho didn't really find his own until from Symphony No. 7 onwards. The first symphony is a great little mishmash of influences from Shostakovich, Mahler, and his other idols that he composed when he was about 22, so it's hardly an indicator of his quality. I would suggest starting at the 7th symphony and moving onwards. When you actually develop a taste for Aho, then look at the earlier symphonies, which are great in their own right, but not for people starting out with his music.

What are some of the characteristics of his mature compositional voice that I should take note of?

[lescamil]

It seems everything after the 7th is a monster:

And some stuff before it is a monster, also. The 2nd, 5thn and 6th symphonies are very large works in one movement, and the 5th actually requires 2 conductors.

What are some of the characteristics of his mature compositional voice that I should take note of?

Just a few things to look out for are a great amount of satire and wit (not unlike Schnittke), usage of Eastern techniques (rhythms and scales), and very expansive landscapes of sound. There's a lot more to him than just these things, though, and some works ignore one or more of these elements completely. He has so much music that you will never get bored of it or find it predictable.

[Brian]

Just a few things to look out for are a great amount of satire and wit (not unlike Schnittke),

Indeed, I think it's the Ninth Symphony that has a lot of prankish jokes aimed at the classical era and a fake dance movement?

The Symphonic Dances are pure adrenaline, a piece that would raise the roof in concert.

[Mirror Image]

Just a few things to look out for are a great amount of satire and wit (not unlike Schnittke), usage of Eastern techniques (rhythms and scales), and very expansive landscapes of sound. There's a lot more to him than just these things, though, and some works ignore one or more of these elements completely. He has so much music that you will never get bored of it or find it predictable.

Interesting, thanks for the feedback.

[Mirror Image]

Just thought I would pass on my love for Aho. Goodness this guy is great. Thank God for BIS!!!

[Mirror Image]

Another great article by MusicWeb:

http://www.musicweb-international.com/Aho/Aho.htm

[lescamil]

A new work by Kalevi Aho:

http://www.classiclive.com/Concerts/2013/April/Aho-Gejia-Finnish-premiere

[relm1]

I remember seeing an interview with him, where he said something like (I paraphrase from memory) "I don't do drafts – I start writing from the first page, and then continue to the end." I guess skipping a step saves some time? 

I love this composer for so many reasons.  Most importantly is because his craftsmanship is inspiring.  I don't think I've heard a single lazy note from him and that's unusual for some one so young and prolific.  It is as if he composed all his works as if it might be his last.  Additionally, like all great symphonists, he does not repeat himself but constantly progresses and expands what he says musically.  He is also someone who respects the symphonic tradition but still makes it his own.  I haven't heard all his music but have loved all I've heard from him.

[relm1]

The prolific composer, Kalevi Aho, is nearing completion on his Symphony No. 16 for the Finnish Radio Orchestra with voice - sounds interesting!  Has anyone picked up the new BIS recording with Minea and Symphony No. 15?