One of the five bass saxophones in Finland was spotted today in Helsinki Concert Hall. A rare animal in a symphony. The Radio Symphony Orchestra (RSO) held its annual Independence Day Matinee there and featured a newly commissioned work, "Karawane" by Esa-Pekka Salonen.
"Karawane" is composed for choir and full (very full) orchestra. It is based on Hugo Ball's Da-da poem, also called 'Sound Poetry'. The listening experience was very special, to say the least. Characteristic was using very low sounds. Hence the bass saxophone was competently assisting tuba, bass clarinet and contrabassoon. The choir was amazing. There were no lyrics per se. More and less they were singing (or yelling) syncopated syllables.
Esa-Pekka Salonen is perhaps nowadays the best known Finnish orchestral conductor and composer world-wide. He is currently Principal Conductor and Artistic Director of the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Conductor Laureate of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
As an encore the RSO performed Finlandia by J. Sibelius. Very appropriate today depicting brilliantly Finland's struggle to gain her Independence.
"Karawane" is composed for choir and full (very full) orchestra. It is based on Hugo Ball's Da-da poem, also called 'Sound Poetry'. The listening experience was very special, to say the least. Characteristic was using very low sounds. Hence the bass saxophone was competently assisting tuba, bass clarinet and contrabassoon. The choir was amazing. There were no lyrics per se. More and less they were singing (or yelling) syncopated syllables.
Esa-Pekka Salonen is perhaps nowadays the best known Finnish orchestral conductor and composer world-wide. He is currently Principal Conductor and Artistic Director of the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Conductor Laureate of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
As an encore the RSO performed Finlandia by J. Sibelius. Very appropriate today depicting brilliantly Finland's struggle to gain her Independence.