Könkämäeno - a solo piano piece (2022) named after the northern river

Könkämäeno

"Jousitrio" - Finnish for String trio - scored for violin, viola and cello. Performed here by members of .abeceda [new music ensemble]: Oskar Longyka, violin; Domen Kužnar, viola; Urban Megušar, cello.

This work was premiered in Festival Bled, Slovenia, on 30 June 2023. It was also performed in Tampere, Finland, by members of Tampering Ensemble in August 2023.

Jousitrio

A composition for flute, clarinet, cello and vibraphone, performed here on 20 September 2023 in Helsinki by award-winning Australian Ensemble Offspring.

Oesophagus

Korvat Auki Ensemble (December 8, 2022) performing in Helsinki. Poem by myself.

Brisy Zhong: Flute
Pilar Miralles: Flute
Devina Boughton: Trumpet
Lauri Rautanen: Piano
Johanna Vahtalo: Vocals
Majella Clarke: Oboe
Leevi Räsänen: Technical/Production

Sielukkuus

A surrealist computer opera in one act and two scenes, depicting the hallucination of its unnamed main character. "Sung" in Italian, weird Latin, weird English, Finnish and gibberish. The plot is quite nonsensical: 

0:00 Overture - introducing some of the main themes of the brief alcohol-induced psychosis occurring to the hero who has been partying too heavily during the Halloween season. He is going to suffer from delusions of being in a forest full of xylophones, living in India and that there is a gnome simultaneously playing several plucked instruments in his apartment. He also visits an imaginary zoo. (The theme of the gnome is clearly audible at 3:13 and 8:16.)

2:44 Scene I: hallucinations and delusions start to come. The main character is hearing the voices of both ethereal and horrendous choirs. His hallucinations are mixed with the sounds coming from real Halloween parties nearby. At 8:28, the main character is hearing a choir of murderers which transforms into a live operatic performance of 'Pagliacci' by Ruggero Leoncavallo. However, the performance is highly abnormal, and the hero also starts to hear themes from 'Cavalleria rusticana' by Pietro Mascagni. The hero thinks that Lola from the opera by Mascagni has been abducted by aliens as her short aria "Fior di giaggiolo" is being sung by the aliens (with robotic, metallic and multi-layered voices). The hero is also hearing themes from operas by Giacomo Puccini, but the Italian words have changed their order and the operatic experience makes no sense. The imaginary audience is still laughing at the hypocrisy of "grieving" relatives from Puccini's opera "Gianni Schicchi". At 15:30, an annoyed neighbor arrives at the scene. The main character hasn't actually been listening to opera but has made the noises himself. There is a fight, and the main character ends up unconscious after uttering a few tormented words from Tosca and dying Scarpia from Puccini's opera. 

16:23 Interlude - a dark movement taking place while the main character is sleeping in a sobering facility. Sounds of synthesizers etc turn into a requiem choir.

20:13 Scene II: a nurse awakens the main character. He is not suffering from severe physical injuries but is highly confused and suffering from withdrawal symptoms of alcohol. He is determined to survive and his willingness to stay sober is depicted by a version of Symphony No. 6 ("Tragic") by Gustav Mahler with a chord in A minor turning into A major (unlike in the symphony where major turns into minor). This gives the opposite message to the darkest symphony written by Mahler. 

The main character isn't still very well. He tries to play the piano, but only creates disturbed melodies. At 25:52, his wellbeing is checked by the authorities. He tries to play the xylophone that he considers easier, but his heavy hand tremor is causing extremely complex polyrhythmics and his anxious state of mind is reflected by weird microtonality. The hero still tries to listen to opera and jazz but he still can't hear them quite correctly. At the end, he orders a spicy vindaloo from the nearest Indian restaurant, but he gets nauseated from trying to eat. In the neighborhood, other people are still enjoying the Halloween festivities.

Vindaloo - absurdi Halloween-ooppera (absurd Halloween opera)

Insomnia

Partly inspired by the multimedia work "HPSCHD" by John Cage and Lejaren Hiller, but fully computer-generated. The similarities with "HPSCHD" are the harpsichord-like sounds, restless and chaotic atmosphere + being experimental. The differences are way more marked.

Partly inspired by my personal experiences with the harpsichord. Practicing piano for about 30 years certainly doesn't make anyone qualified to be a harpsichordist. :D

Battle for the control of a harpsichord (Taistelu cembalon hallinnasta)

Synthetic visions IV - Abduction tale

Synthetic visions V

Synthetic visions VIII - What would Stockhausen say?

Synthetic visions X

Synthetic visions XI, "Nightmare at an airport"

Synthetic visions XII

Synthetic visions XIII

Synthetic visions XIV

Synthetic visions XV, "Los Angeles"

Synthetic visions XVI

Synthetic visions XVII, "A ritual at the campfire"

Synthetic visions XVIII, "Schlussstück"

Music for shopping

Psychedeleje

Dark Chaos: Noisescape

A piano miniature composed by myself in 2019. Performed by myself (5 December 2019) in Helsinki, thanks to the organizer (Korvat Auki ry) and composer Leevi Räsänen, who acted as my page-turner this time.

Abendruh

Finnish pianist, composer (b. March 6, 1991) with a classical training, but interest in several other genres as well. Also playing the alto saxophone and sitar, but piano has always stayed as the main instrument.

Age at starting playing the piano: 4
Age at starting composing: 7
Main teacher in piano: Mika Lilius 
Composition teacher: Jukka Koskinen 
Other relevant studies: different workshops and master courses under Meri Louhos, Teppo Koivisto, Lotta Wennäkoski, Alastair White and others

Pauli Uusitalo

Pinned to spotlight

Popular tracks