Works

Soloists and orchestra

The Earth, Spring's Daughter (2014–2015)

song cycle for mezzosoprano and orchestra
c. 42'

I Prologue – The Earth, spring's daughter
II In these cold lands we migrate
III Our father's property is divided today
IV This late evening hour
V Not so straight
VI Come and I will show you secretly these paths
VII I inscribe these images – Epilogue

Publisher: Edition Wilhelm Hansen

Eanan, giđa nieida (in Engl. The Earth, Spring’s Daughter) is a mythical epos illustrating the core experiences of the North from the history to our times. The text is a vast collage of Sami poetry – the Sami people being the only indigenous people in the Europe. The strong mutual bond between the generations and the Sami culture’s cyclical perception of time are present also in the structure of the work: the music unfolds in layers and cycles, to be born again and again. The work was commissioned by three northernmost professional orchestras in Europe: Lapland Chamber Orchestra (FIN), Norrbotten Chamber Orchestra (SWE) and Arctic Philharmonic (NOR).

Score

Premiere: September 1, 2016
Korundi House of Culture's Concert Hall, Rovaniemi
Lapland Chamber Orchestra, cond. John Storgårds
Virpi Räisänen, mezzosoprano

September 2, 2016
Inari, Finland
Lapland Chamber Orchestra, cond. John Storgårds
Virpi Räisänen, mezzosoprano

Swedish premiere: September 14, 2017
House of Culture, Luleå, Sweden
Norrbotten Chamber Orchestra, cond. Okko Kamu
Virpi Räisänen, mezzosoprano

September 15, 2017
Haparanda Church, Sweden
Norrbotten Chamber Orchestra, cond. Okko Kamu
Virpi Räisänen, mezzosoprano

September 16, 2017
Studio Acusticum, Piteå, Sweden
Norrbotten Chamber Orchestra, cond. Okko Kamu
Virpi Räisänen, mezzosoprano

December 4, 2017
Swedish Radio P2
Norrbotten Chamber Orchestra, cond. Okko Kamu
Virpi Räisänen, mezzosoprano

Norwegian premiere: September 13, 2018
Stormen Konserthus, Bodø, Norway
Arctic Philharmonic, cond. Tim Weiss
Virpi Räisänen, mezzosoprano

October 18, 2018
NRK Radio P2, Norway
Arctic Philharmonic, cond. Tim Weiss
Virpi Räisänen, mezzo soprano

February 18, 2021
Kuopio Music Centre, Kuopio, Finland
Kuopio City Orchestra, cond. Jaakko Kuusisto
Virpi Räisänen, mezzo-soprano

July 30, 2022
Ukko-Luosto open-air-stage, Sounds of Luosto -festival
Helsinki Chamber Orchestra, cond. Aku Sorensen
Virpi Räisänen, mezzo-soprano

September 22, 2022
Southam Hall, Ottawa, Canada
National Arts Center Orchestra, cond. Alexander Shelley
Marion Newman, mezzo-soprano

February 1, 2024
Tapiola Hall, Espoo, Finland
Tapiola Sinfonietta, cond. Eva Ollikainen
Virpi Räisänen, mezzo-soprano

August 2, 2024
Tammisaari Summer Concerts -festival
Tammisaari Church, Tammisaari, Finland
The Finnish Chamber Orchestra, cond. Jan Söderblom
Virpi Räisänen, mezzo-soprano

April 10, 2025
Paviljonki, Jyväskylä, Finland
Jyväskylä Sinfonia, cond. Okko Kamu
Virpi Räisänen, mezzo-soprano