# Kalevi Aho



## World Violist

I don't know why I apparently haven't made a Kalevi Aho page on Composer Guestbooks yet, but now I'm making one. 

He's one of my favorite composers, and definitely my favorite one still alive. Aho is somewhat of a grand synthesis of all classical music, from 1400's to right now. I wouldn't call that restrictive to Aho, however; his works that I've heard all have a staggering originality. Sure, there are elements of some famous Northern composers (Shostakovich and Nielsen, for example), but the listening experience in and of itself is an entirely unique thing.

That being said, there isn't any one definitive "style" of Kalevi Aho. This statement is, for me, epitomized in the CD which contains the 9th symphony and cello concerto. The symphony is melodic, tonal, triumphal, with the prominent trombone part almost bacchanalian in abandon, at one point singing a moving song with a distinctly 20th century backdrop, and then suddenly turns a corner and jumps backward, participating in a joyous Renaissance dance. The cello concerto, on the other hand, is haunting, apocalyptic, and devastating. There are no forms, no hint of happiness or hope, and no mixture of styles. What keeps this piece moving is not the playful realization of what is going on around one; rather it is one's realization of the myriad conflicts that go on inside of oneself.

I think Kalevi Aho is a truly great composer. He doesn't indulge in sensational ideas (12-tone rows or avant-garde techniques (not to put down those composers, I just don't feel like it's a lasting phenomenon)); he just writes. And what he writes is fantastic.


----------



## Tapkaara

Bought his 12th Symphony recording in Helsinki. I think I still need to come around to it...


----------



## emiellucifuge

Yes hes very cool, i like his clarinet concerto very much!


----------



## Oskaar

I think absolutely this composer deserves his own thread in the guestbook. I have not heard to much of him, still discovering. But I find him very exiting from what I have heard, especially his symphonies.

Listening now:

*Aho, Kalevi*

Work 
*Aho: Symphony No. 10*

Artists	
Osmo Vänskä (Conductor), Lahti Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra)




http://www.amazon.com/AHO-Symphony-...411U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323020698&sr=8-1

Aho's symphonies are (I have not listened to all) very interesting in form and content. The work also. They are located at an intersection point between the romantic and modern. Most modern but clearly romantic infuenses. Beautiful and sensitive performance, and the sound is pretty good.


----------



## Oskaar

This is a composer that I have had some trully fine experinces with lately. he deserves his own thread in here!


----------



## samurai

@ Oskaar, Absolutely agree with you. I've been listening to--and quite enjoying him--on *Spotify*!


----------



## Oskaar

*Aho, Kalevi*

Work 
*Aho: Quintet for Bassoon and String Quartet*

Artists	
unknown... Can anyone tell? 




http://www.amazon.com/AHO-Oboe-Quin...5CHI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1315909108&sr=8-2

Very intense! Beautiful little moments! Aho is a composer I really like. This work contains a lot.

Very good version. And the sound is good.










Work 
*Aho: Quintet For Flute, Oboe, Violin, Viola And Cello*

Artists	
Sinfonia Lahti Chamber Ensemble




http://www.amazon.com/AHO-Quintet-I...ZJWG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1315910258&sr=8-1

Not wery good sound. But quite exiting and interresting. work. There is some great moments...Pitty about the sound.( it is not to bad.)


----------



## Oskaar

*Aho, Kalevi*

Work 
*Aho: Symphony No. 10*

Artists	
Osmo Vänskä (Conductor), Lahti Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra)




http://www.amazon.com/AHO-Symphony-...411U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323020698&sr=8-1

A wonderful and exciting symphony! Very intriguing. Recording and sound is not great.


----------



## starthrower

His clarinet concerto sounds amazing!


----------



## Neo Romanza

*Kalevi Aho (1949 -)*










Aho is one of Finland's leading symphonists, having written 11 works in that genre. He studied composition with noted symphonist Einojuhani Rautavaara at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki and then later with composer Boris Blacher in Berlin (1971 - 1972). Aho has since lectured at the University of Helsinki and served as a professor of composition at the Sibelius Academy. He is the composer-in-residence of the Lahti Symphony Orchestra. His earliest works include the string quartets written in 1967, 1970, and 1971, and a violin sonata of 1973. His first four symphonies (1969 - 1973) employ classical polyphony and have timbres suggesting the influence of Dmitry Shostakovich and Gustav Mahler. Symphony No. 11 was premiered by the Lahti Symphony Orchestra and the Kroumata Ensemble under the direction of Osmo Vänskä in March 2000. The orchestral work entitled The Rejoicing of the Deep Waters was premiered in September 1998. His works for the stage include a dramatic monologue for singer and chamber orchestra, entitled Avain/The Key, and his two-act opera Hyönteiselämää/Insect Life (1996). Aho's other works include concertos for violin, piano, and cello; various solo pieces; as well as orchestrations of other composers' works, such as his successful version of Modest Mussorgsky's Songs and Dances of Death. Aho is also a noted writer.

[Article taken from All Music Guide]

I didn't see a thread for this brilliant composer so I started one!  Anyway, really, really enjoy Aho's music a lot and it seems that each listen reveals more depth. Anyone have any favorite works? I'm only missing a few recordings from the BIS series. I own 14 Aho recordings right now.


----------



## KenOC

I see that at last count Aho has written 15 symphonies and 19 concertos. A busy boy! I enjoy some of his concertos.


----------



## Neo Romanza

KenOC said:


> I see that at last count Aho has written 15 symphonies and 19 concertos. A busy boy! I enjoy some of his concertos.


Indeed. Quite a prolific composer.


----------



## Neo Romanza

More pictures of Aho:










And a personal favorite -










Anyone who loves dachshunds is A-OK in my book.


----------



## Neo Romanza




----------



## Kleinzeit

Aho is someone you really want to champion. It's clearly classical music, and it astonishes you with how contemporary it is without overemphasizing either factor. Like exploring a fine yacht (without any of the luxury goods connotation) and marvelling at the virtues of craft & materials: why, this boat is practically a living thing, a brainchild! 
He deserves John Adams levels of recognition.

Aho is nearly a decade older than the Ears Open group, Salonen, Lindberg, Saariaho, Tiensuu, Kortekangas, Kaipainen. He'd be like a slightly older brother with developed tastes & leanings that he's confident about. 
He studied under the protean Rautavaara sometime between 1966 -71 when ER was a teacher at Sibelius Academy. 
At that time Finnish composers would take seriously the choice between Sibelius' 'style & severity of form and inner connection' and Mahler's 'embracing everything in the world'.

Schnittke's First Symphony of 1969-74 would have been a big deal. So were the Beatles and art pop.

(Look at Per Nørgård, 27 years older. He reworked 'Blackbird' as a piano piece, and his Voyage into the Golden Screen of 1968 is named after a Donovan song. Everybody was going through 1960s doors.) 
In Finland Erkki Salmenhaara, who studied with Ligeti, was writing in an up-to-the-minute proto-minimalist style. You could hear his music on tv, on 'here comes the future' style happenings. 

Everybody was ready to leave Sibelius in the womb of time for a while. Mahler's big open house and Polystylism would be the clear winner. 
(The younger Ears Open group would, for a while, be the more strict-logic, Darmstadt/IRCAM friendly neo-modernists.)

What I get from Aho is formal integrity in the way he mixes contemporary & past, and a mensch artist's respect for the audience's intelligence & sophistication. 

I listen most to the Symphony No. 9 for trombone and orchestra & Concerto for cello and orchestra record;
The Symphony No.11 & Symphonic Dances (Hommage à Uuno Klami) --interested in Klami (my first 3 avatars);
and the site-specific Luosto Twelfth Symphony, wishing I could have jetsetted to Lappi to hear it. (it's studio on the record of course).


----------



## Neo Romanza

A member here said Aho doesn't bring anything personal to music. I guess they never heard _Symphony No. 10_ or even the _Clarinet Concerto_? It doesn't get more personal than that. I'm all for accepting someone not enjoying Aho's music but he's a composer I believe can't be enjoyed immediately on first hearing and what I mean is that his music requires time to fully appreciate like any good composer.


----------



## Guest

Dear Neo and Kleinzeit, kisses to both of you for your enthusiasms for this composer who is completely off my radar, I'm afraid.
As far as I can tell he's not on the contemporary music festival scene in France, Germany or the UK (respectively, Strasbourg, Darmstadt / Donaueschingen and Huddersfield) which is where I 'normally' pick up on composers I think I should check out. This is not to denigrate the fellow. I shall have to follow your recommendations.
Special note to Neo: I note a striking resemblance between your avatar photo and the first photo in your posting #5 above. Shurely shome coinshidence?


----------



## Neo Romanza

TalkingHead said:


> Dear Neo and Kleinzeit, kisses to both of you for your enthusiasms for this composer who is completely off my radar, I'm afraid.
> As far as I can tell he's not on the contemporary music festival scene in France, Germany or the UK (respectively, Strasbourg, Darmstadt / Donaueschingen and Huddersfield) which is where I 'normally' pick up on composers I think I should check out. This is not to denigrate the fellow. I shall have to follow your recommendations.
> Special note to Neo: I note a striking resemblance between your avatar photo and the first photo in your posting #5 above. Shurely shome coinshidence?


Yes, definitely check his music out. Start with _Symphonic Dances_ or _Symphony No. 7_. As for the photo, there may be a little resemblance.


----------



## KenOC

Just as a side note, Aho is a well-respected composer of the "A" persuasion.

1 - Adams, John (b. 1947)
2 - Aho, Kalevi (b. 1949)
3 - Alfvén, Hugo (1872-1960)
4 - Atterberg, Kurt (1887-1974)
5 - Abel, Carl Friedrich (1723-1787)
6 - Alkan, Charles Valentin (1813-1888)
7 - Antheil, George (1900-1959)
8 - Adès, Thomas (b. 1971)
9 - Arnell, Richard (1917-2009)
10 - Arriaga, Juan Crisóstomo (1806-1826)


----------



## Neo Romanza

In response to Kleinzeit's earlier post -

I agree that Aho deserves the kind of popularity say John Adams has received. I will even say that Aho is the _better_ composer in terms of consistency and based on my own experience of listening to many of his works many times. John Adams, on the other hand, is quite uneven but Adams' days of creativity seem to be dried up. I'm not hearing any more _Harmonielehre_ or _Harmonium_ works coming from his pen these days. What I'm hearing are senseless, go nowhere masses of sound that aren't memorable and don't contain one melodic idea that's noteworthy. Like, for example, his _City Noir_. What a monstrosity!

Anyway, rant over, getting back to Aho. I've been listening to his music off/on for the last two days and have been enjoying it immensely. Certainly one of my favorite composers working today.


----------



## KenOC

Neo Romanza said:


> What I'm hearing are senseless, go nowhere masses of sound that aren't memorable and don't contain one melodic idea that's noteworthy. Like, for example, his _City Noir_. What a monstrosity!


John Adams is 66 and still (at least a few years ago) turning out good work. The Dharma at Big Sur is one of his best, also Son of Chamber Symphony and String Quartet.


----------



## Neo Romanza

KenOC said:


> John Adams is 66 and still (at least a few years ago) turning out good work. The Dharma at Big Sur is one of his best, also Son of Chamber Symphony and String Quartet.


Yes, he's written a few good newer works but would we call _The Dharma at Big Sur_ a recent work? I mean it's already 10 years old (written in 2013 I believe). Anyway, Kleinzeit brought up John Adams in this thread so it's all his fault.


----------



## KenOC

Neo Romanza said:


> Yes, he's written a few good newer works but would we call _The Dharma at Big Sur_ a recent work? I mean it's already 10 years old (written in 2013 I believe). Anyway, Kleinzeit brought up John Adams in this thread so it's all his fault.


At my age, 2003 is just yesterday.


----------



## Kleinzeit

Adams makes little impact on me. Same with Glass. Reich, & Adès. This is my problem, mine and my shrink's, Dr. Schwab. 

Love me some Reich sure; Glass is a cultural 'given' now: he just has to show up, and is even a 'knock-knock' joke (I've met him a few times in art school situations, also he summers on this island), and the Tom Service book 'Full of Noises: Conversations with Adès' is a terrific read. A very capacious mind there. 

Adams, I found myself haunted by Nixon in China after the 2nd time seeing it, on PBS, after the first time on a Met in HD livecast which for some reason my little burg is lucky enough to get at the local googolplex. The haunting had as much to do with the whole show as just the music. Music was more compelling in Dr. Atomic, but the libretto was too collage-y for me.

Mr. Adams, he multi-millionaire, so he got 99 problems hovering & swooping over the golden wheatfield of creativity. We can now only obey the prime directive and stand back as he wrestles with this on his own. Good luck, John.

Aho, he's an art monk, he's in it for the creative evolution. The proof is in the oeuvre. 

When Martin Amis got an unheard-of (in UK) book advance, some Brit writer said when an American novelist gets an advance he acquires a mistress & a secret penthouse love nest. When a Brit novelist gets an advance he buys a nice bookshelf.
I'll bet Aho has a great Finnstyle Artek bookshelf.


----------



## Neo Romanza

Kleinzeit, you nailed it when you said "Aho is in it for the creative evolution. The proof is in the oeuvre." This is so true. One great work after another that he's given us.


----------



## Neo Romanza

Re-listened to _Symphony No. 9_ for trombone and orchestra last night and this is really such an awesome work. I particularly loved the _Adagio_ movement. This was followed by the turbulent _Cello Concerto_. Two very different sonic worlds.


----------



## Kleinzeit

Pleased to be guest star in your 500th post.

Jungian psychologist James Hillman in 'The Myth of Analysis' proposes six basic prototypes --or archetypes, since it's Jung-- that creativity is filtered through. Method & structure: Dad. Novelty & the fleeting present: Child. Hard work: Prometheus. Sex, drugs, rock n roll: Shadow. Persona: Mask. Cyclic barrenness + renewal: Mom.
Few pure types; artists change & evolve from one to another; most artists are mixed types; no type is inherently privileged.

I severely understate, but it's been an essential thinking tool for me.

Hillman says the creative instinct can project itself through the _persona_ resulting in the indistinguishable merging of creativity and celebrity. One becomes one's image and the individual who wears the mask can no longer put it down because the mask itself has become the psychic carrier of the creative instinct. Details of the artist's life take on mythical importance for the fans.

This might not be precisely where Adams is as an artist, but it is the world, the golden cage he inhabits as a cultural commodity, a star.

The Promethean type embodies the creative urge understood through the ego. Through the fire he stole from the gods, man can convert nature's mystery into a problem to solve, extending the realm of conscious control. A utilitarian view of creativity, the process as self-imposed puzzle, and the theft from the gods must be paid for through hard work. "Art is 10% inspiration, 90% perspiration".

this is more where I see Aho. The artists I most admire, and try to be, are the ones who use their work as a heuristic device. The work builds on itself and produces a logic, a map, that shapes the artist as much as the artist shapes the work.


----------



## chalkpie

Great thread, and count me in as an up-and-coming fan of Aho. Yeah, it's a crime he isn't more well known and performed.


----------



## Neo Romanza

chalkpie said:


> Great thread, and count me in as an up-and-coming fan of Aho. Yeah, it's a crime he isn't more well known and performed.


What work(s) have you heard so far, chalkpie?


----------



## chalkpie

Neo Romanza said:


> What work(s) have you heard so far, chalkpie?


Just found this thread - wow its been a while.

I just started spinning Aho 12 again over the past few days. This is tremendous stuff, right up my alley. Dark, dissonant, powerful, mysterious, tribal, etc etc Usually this would be late autumn/winter music for me, but I'm getting a head start I guess. This is the only symphony that I am somewhat familiar with - I heard a few last year but honestly can't remember which ones?

What would you consider his top 5 (or so) best works? I usually dig symphonies, but if there is a concerto or chamber piece then I'm down for that too. Thx!


----------



## Morimur

I became aware of Aho a few years back but I've only recently listened to his work and must say that he's nothing short of a GREAT composer. The Minimalists only wish they possessed a fraction of his talent.


----------



## Guest

Symphonies 7/8/12 are my favorites right now, along with various other works. The new theremin concerto is actually great fun!


----------



## Blancrocher

A review essay about Aho recordings on Musicweb from 2008:

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

At the end, there are links to reviews that appeared on the site between 2008-13.


----------



## Richannes Wrahms

Some years ago I though I had discovered something but today I think he's a rather sloppy composer...


----------



## starthrower

chalkpie said:


> I usually dig symphonies, but if there is a concerto or chamber piece then I'm down for that too. Thx!


Try the clarinet concerto. I have the BIS CD featuring Martin Frost.


----------

