Annual List of Works: Finnish Music Information Centre

Title
Même mort

Composer
Riikka Talvitie (Ms.) (1970, Finnish, Huopalahdentie 10 A 7, FIN-00330 Helsinki, Finland)

Genre
contemporary choral music

Instrumentation
mixed choir

Year of composition
2002

Duration
9'20

Place of premiere performance
Tampere Biennale, Tampere

Date of premiere performance
(2002-04-11)

Performers
Musicatreize, cond. Roland Hayrabedian

Score
Publisher: unpublished, distributed by Fimic (Musiclibrary, Finnish Music Information Centre, Lauttasaarentie 1, FIN-00200 Helsinki)
URL: www.fimic.fi
E-mail: musiclibrary@fimic.fi
Edition-No.: FIMIC No. 17671
Price: 15 €

Recording
Record company: private recording from the composer
E-mail: riikka.talvitie@welho.com
Performers: Musicatreize, cond. Roland Hayrabedian

Motivation

Même mort is a most interesting choral composition by one of Finland's finest young composers. The work is not only an exquisitely crafted piece of composition, but also shows a deep understanding of the human voice and choir as instrument. Its sonorities are versatile, rich and transparent, its rhythmic gestures delightful. The multilanguage text has been innovatively chosen so that it sheds light on the eternal theme of love in a modern, yet universal way.

Programme note by the composer

The piece consists of three dialogues, all about fated love. In choosing them I tried to capture the unfore-seen moment when love was transformed into some other emotion - grief, anger or madness. The role of the vocal ensemble varies. At times it acts as an anonymous textural choir and at others acquires a dramatic character whose speech is clear and targeted. Because the vocal ensemble Musicatreize to my mind makes interesting use of the soloist traits of each of its singers, I have tried to vary the expression and especially the 'expresser' within the vocal ensemble as well.

Synopsis

1. Julia is expecting Romeo to come. The wet nurse arrives in distress, crying, "He's dead, he's dead, he's dead!" For one moment Juliet believes she is referring to Romeo, until she realises her nurse is speaking of her cousin Tybald.

2. It is Olavi's and Kyllikki's wedding night. The wedding guests have departed and the two are alone at last. There is something worrying Olavi. At the wedding, a stranger came and told him that Kyllikki was once his beloved. The two quarrel.

3. A French woman and a Japanese man meet in Hiroshima. She recalls the death of her first love. The relationship was unsuitable, for he was a German soldier shot during the liberation of France in 1944. The new lover asks her questions in the voice of the dead beloved.

+ Composer's note to the performers:
Même mort was originally composed for vocal ensemble (12 voices) but it is suitable and recommendable for larger ensembles and mix choir. In case it is sang by choir solo-voices could be used in following passages:

- 1. movement bars 1-38
- 1. movement bars 75-83
- 1. movement bars 97-99
- 2. movement bars 98-106
- 3. movement soprano 1 in bars 8-13
- 3. movement soprano 2 in bars 15-18
- 3. movement soprano 1 in bars 18-20
- 3. movement alto 3 and tenor 1 in bars 39-48
- 3. movement soprano 1 in bars 62-66
- 3. movement alto 3 and tenor 1 in bars 67-69
biography

Composer biography

September 13, 1970 in Vantaa, Finland

Studies
- Sibelius Academy: oboe 1990-1997 and composition 1997-2002
- Oboe diploma in 1997
- Composition diploma in 2002
- Conservatoire national supérieur de musique et de danse de Paris, France: oboe and composition 1995-1996
- Ircam, Paris: one-year course for composition and music technology 2001-2002

Composition teachers
- Olli Kortekangas 1994-1995
- Tapio Nevanlinna 1994-1997
- Paavo Heininen 1996-2001
- Gerald Grisey (Concervatoire de Paris) 1995-1996
- Philippe Leroux (Paris, Ircam) 2001-2002
- Teachers at master classes: Magnus Lindberg, Jouni Kaipainen, Anders Hillborg, Esa-Pekka Salonen and Mark-Anthony Turnage (Porvoo summer courses)

Oboe teachers
- Aale Lindgren 1984-1989
- Sven-Erik Paananen 1990-1997
- Jean-Louis Capezzali and Jaques Tys (Conservatoire de Paris) 1995-1996
- Teachers in masterclasses: Ingo Goritzki, Helén Jahren, Graham Salter, Daniel Stolber

Varia
- Has taken part in Ung Nordisk Musik (UNM) festivals in Copenhagen (1996), Reykjavík (1997), Oslo (1998), Gothenburg (1999) and Århus (2001)
- Has taken part in Nordic Music Days in Copenhagen (2004) and Reykjavík (2006)
- 3rd prize in Kuopio composition competition in 2000 ("hobbyhorsing around")
- 1st and 3rd prize in Tampere sävel choir competition in 2001 (Kuvan kuvan and Ihmisen määrä)
- Shared 1st prize in wind orcherstra competition by Kaartin soittokunta in 2007 (Surunkellot)
- Composition concert at Musica Nova in 2005 with mostly electroacoustic music (Luonnonoikku, Matches, Présent crénelé… and Beyond the Web).
- Has been an active member in Ears Open! society
- Member of the Uusinta Chamber Orchestra
- Member of the Society of Finnish Composers since 2000, member of the board since 2003, vice president since 2006