Requiem for Our Earth

Program note

The global crisis is a problem with many very many faces, which I have chosen to enlighten in my work “Requiem for Our Earth”. All nations are part of the global crisis, and I don’t want to point a finger at any others, but rather look at the problems in our own backyard, which are ours to solve. In Finland we have mining laws that allow violation of nature, and we emphasize the monetary interest of the wood industry over the question of diminishing our carbon footprint. Time after time we humans emphasize our entitlement to have the right to eat meat and to exploit “our” natural resources. Some even argue that man was given the right to rule by the Bible. Therefore I have chosen quotations from some of Pope Francis’ speeches, where he emphasizes our Christian responsibility to take care of God’s creation. “God always forgives, we men forgive sometimes, but nature never forgives.” What will be left if we don’t take care of our Earth? This question has unified millions of people behind Greta Thunberg who says in her speech from Davos 2019 “I don’t want your hope, I don’t want you to be hopeful. I want you to panic […] I want you to act as if the house was on fire, because it is”.

Reviews

The choir sang Greta Thunberg’s stirring words about the climate crisis – Lyran’s concert was one of the highlights of the capital region’s concert season.

 

”Our house is on fire.”  These are the words of climate activist Greta Thunberg that opened the concert of the Female Voice Choir Lyran. Cecilia Damström’s Requiem for Our Earth for women’s choir, tape and light sounded marvellously from the beginning to the end while shaking all of humanity.  

 

The work’s ritualistic postmodernism employs speech-rhythmic singing, space-integrating spatiality, and performance art techniques. Notable features include dislocated triads and cluster chords, the wavering of adjacent tones, and organ points. These seamlessly merge with tape sounds and Marek Pluciennik’s video art, which was projected onto the choir members’ white attire.

 

In this piece, which incorporates Swedish, Finnish, English, and Latin, various texts related to environmental crises are heard, ranging from Finland’s mining laws to debates about vegetarianism. Explosions, the clinking of coins, the squealing of pigs, the rustling of bark, and the melting of ice are also heard. Finally, underwater noise is heard as the choir members sway around the audience, representing dying coral.

 

Impressive was also the part related to the meat industry, where the choir turned its back to the audience, illustrating humanity’s blindness to the extreme suffering it causes.

 

Led by conductor and soprano Jutta Seppinen, Lyran creates responsible and sustainable art. The music serves as collective trauma work, unlocking mental barriers and unleashing forces for responsible action.

 

The Epilogue concert, performed by the 58-strong choir with clarity, precision, and fervor, was one of the highlights of the metropolitan concert season.

 

Music addressing climate change is the most relevant of all music because there is only one Earth.

Susanna Välimäki, Helsingin Sanomat 9.11.2019

Lyran sings its swan song before the apocalypse. The climate catastrophe is a reality, say the scientists, and humanity’s saga has reached its final chapters. That was the message during Lyran’s climate concert.

 

The most significant thing seen in a long time.

Art music has traditionally been created in an (apparently) ideological vacuum, where at best one might find a dedication line at the beginning of the score. From this perspective, it is interesting to observe how the musical expression evolves when the political framework is given. Composers Cecilia Damström and Perttu Haapanen both use video and sound recordings as tools; both utilize speeches by well-known figures, and both of their works are performed in darkness.

 

Damström’s  Requiem for Our Earth is at it’s strongest point in it’s introduction, where Greta Thunbergs parable of a burning house is effecttively illustrated through Marek Pluciennik’s flames, which are projected on to the choir members. Initially, the work feels like the most important thing I have seen in a long time and pressing themes are dealt with in scenes about mining and logging. Among the strongest moments is the scene where former Defense Minister Jussi Niinistö (Finns party) defends the meat intake of men in the military service, while slaughtered pigs scream and blood splashes.

 

The choral texture is surprisingly simple and consists mostly of chords which sound excellent with the beautiful voices of Lyran; It is not without reason that Damström has previously been explicitly praised for her choral music. Overall, Damström also prefers a concrete expression, while Pluciennik’s video adds a level of abstraction.

Wilhelm Kvist, Hufvudstadsbladet 9.11.2019

Performances

7 November 2019 World premiere at Sellosali, Espoo by Akademiska Damkören Lyran conducted by Jutta Seppinen

CANCELLED – 23 March 2020 at Helsinki Music Centre by Akademiska Damkören Lyran conducted by Jutta Seppinen

25 August 2020 Young Nordic Music Festival, Tampere by Tampere Cappella conducted by Jutta Seppinen  – More info and link to live stream