Works Discography

Aulis Sallinen (1935-)

Although Aulis Sallinen has created successful works in numerous forms, Sallinen remains for many the ultimate Finnish opera composer. Two of his early stage works, The Horseman and The Red Line, were instrumental in creating a truly Finnish operatic repertory, and catapulted the composer to international acclaim in the 1970s.

In 1958, while studying composition under Aarre Merikanto, Aulis Sallinen graduated with a school teacher's certificate, and in 1960, on completing studies under Joonas Kokkonen, he took the post of orchestral manager with the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra - one which he held for nine years. His approach to music is down-to-earth, and this has made itself felt in his compositional work too: he hones down his musical material to suit the nature of the instrument and has written pieces with a practical, utilitarian function. The most distinct feature of his music is his use of repetition and this may indeed be a legacy of the neo-classicism of which the later style of his teacher Aarre Merikanto is one example.

Sallinen's most important creative period began in the early 1970's. Granted a lifelong artist's bursary from the government, he left his job with the orchestra and, in 1976, gave up his teaching at the Sibelius Academy. Many of the pertinent features of his style had already made themselves evident from the mid-sixties onwards. Today, Sallinen's oeuvre comprises over sixty works. His emphasis has been on orchestral and chamber music and above all with opera, the medium with which he forged his reputation.


More information:
Chester Novello
Finnish Music Information Centre

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Works



Chamber Music I, Op. 38 for string orchestra (1975)
Chamber Music II, Op. 41 for alto flute and string orchestra (1976)
Chamber Music III, Op. 58 The Nocturnal Dances of Don Juanquixote for solo cello and string orchestra (1985–86)
Chamber Music IV, Op. 79 (2000) Metamorphoses of the Elegy for Sebastian Knight (1964) for piano and string orchestra
Chamber Music V, Op. 80a Barabbas Variations (2005) realised for solo piano and string orchestra by Ralf Gothóni from the original work for solo accordion and string orchestra (2000)
Chamber Music VI, Op. 88 invitations au voyage for solo string quartet and string orchestra (2005–06)
Chamber Music VII, Op. 93 Cruselliana for solo wind quintet and string orchestra (2007–08)
Chamber Music VIII, Op. 94 (2008–09) The Trees, All Their Green (To the memory of Paavo Haavikko) for cello and string orchestra
Elämän ja kuoleman lauluja (Songs of Life and Death)
Introduction and Tango
King Lear, Opera in Two Acts, Op. 76
Kullervo - Opera in Two Acts
Piirretään! Hyvähän se on sanoa
String Quartet No. 1, Op. 14
String Quartet No. 2 "Canzona"
String Quartet No. 3 "Some Aspects of Peltoniemi Hintrik's Funeral March"
String Quartet No. 4 "Quiet Songs"
String Quartet No. 5 "Pieces of Mosaic"
Suita grammaticale, Op. 28
The Iron Age Suite (Rauta-aika -sarja)
The King Goes Forth to France - A chronicle for the music theatre of the coming Ice Age
The Red Line (Punainen viiva) - Opera in Two Acts, Op. 46
Vintern var hård (Winter was hard)
full discography

Discography (extract)



Finland 100

A Century of Finnish Classics

5 CD collection celebrating 100 years of Finland's independence

Orchestral Works I & II

Concertos

Vocal Works

Chamber Music


Various Finnish artist, orchestras and conductors

ODE 1300-2Q

 



Released 11/2016

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Aulis Sallinen
Chamber Music I - VIII


Jyväskylä Sinfonia
Arto Noras, cello
Alexis Roman, alto flute
Meta4
Jyväskylä sinfonia Wind Quintet
Ralf Gothoni, piano & kapellimestari
Ville Matvejeff, piano & kapellimestari
ODE 1256-2D



Released 06/2015

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Aulis Sallinen
King Lear
Opera in Two Acts
DVD video


Matti Salminen
Lilli Paasikivi, Taina Piira, Satu Vihavainen, Jorma Hynninen, Sauli Tiilikainen, Jorma Silvasti, Aki alamikkotervo, Hannu Forsberg
ODV 4010



Released 04/2015

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Aulis Sallinen
Kullervo - Opera in Two Acts


Jorma Hynninen, Kullervo
Eeva-Liisa Saarinen, Mother
Matti Salminen, Kalervo
Jorma Silvasti, Kimmo
Finnish National Opera Chorus
Finnish National Opera Orchestra
Ulf Söderblom, conductor
ODE 1258-2T (3CD)
(Previously released as ODE 780-3T)



Released 04/2014

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