RÄISÄNEN
Tomi
Aulos at the Dionysian Feast
(2004/2012)
(a) 2 Recorders, Guitar (2004)
(b) 3 Recorders, Bass Clarinet, Percussion (2 players) (2012)
Duration 11:30 min.
Dedicated to Eero Saunamäki. Commissioned with funds from the Madetoja Foundation.
First performance (a) on January 29, 2005, in Helsinki, Finland, by Eero Saunamäki, recorder, Anna Saunamäki, recorder, and Nelli Kettunen, guitar
First performance (b) on June 17, 2012, in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, by Amsterdam Collage Ensemble (ACE): Sarah Jeffery, recorder, Eva Gemeinhardt, recorder, Anna Stegmann, recorder, Anna voor de Wind, clarinet, Ryoko Imai, percussion, Brian Archinal, percussion, Konradin Herzog, cond.
Recording on the album:
EDTCD 006 (2025)
Eero Saunamäki, recorder, Anna Saunamäki, recorder, Mikko Ikäheimo, guitar
During the ancient Greek and Roman periods, a double reed instrument called aulos was popular, especially within the Dionysian Cult. The sound of the aulos was considered unsettling and wild. Plato banned it for being barbaric and unfitting for his ideal state. In this work, the players play recorder pairs, like imitating the ancient aulos. Some instruments are tuned a quarter tone lower to give a restless sound. Gradually denser and denser beats of tam-tam give the work a ritualistic character. TR, 2005