Jaakko Mäntyjärvi
Encyclopedia
Jaakko Mäntyjärvi is a Finnish
composer
of classical music
, and a professional translator.
, graduating with an FK (master's) degree in 1991. In 1987, he was accredited as an Authorized Translator from Finnish to English and English to Finnish, and since then he has been employed as a professional translator. He has also studied theory of music and choir conducting at the Sibelius Academy
.
His major choral works include Four Shakespeare Songs (1984), Dagen svalnar... (Day is cooling; 1991/93), Ave Maria (1991), Pseudo-Yoik (1994), El Hambo (1997), and More Shakespeare Songs (1997); his work Canticum Calamitatis Maritimae
received third prize in the European composition competition for cathedral choirs in 1997. His major commissions include a work for mixed choir for the contemporary choral music seminar at the Cork International Choral Festival
in spring 1999, a choral work for the 700th anniversary of the consecration of Turku Cathedral in summer 2000, and commissions from Chanticleer
(2001) and the King’s Singers (2002). He was composer-in-residence of the Tapiola Chamber Choir from 2000 to 2005. In 2006 he was commissioned to write a new 40-part work for choir, Tentatio, for the Tallis Festival
.
Mäntyjärvi has been active as an amateur and semi-professional musician, mainly as a choral singer with a number of Finnish choirs, including the Savonlinna Opera Festival Choir, the professional Sibelius Academy Vocal Ensemble and the Tapiola Chamber Choir. He conducted the Savolaisen Osakunnan Laulajat student choir from 1988 to 1993 and was deputy conductor of the Tapiola Chamber Choir from 1998 to 2004.
In 2011 Mäntyjärvi composed a choral work Cornish Lullaby for Helsinki Academic Male Choir KYL
(Kauppakorkeakoulun Ylioppilaskunnan Laulajat
), which was one of the pieces of the winning performance in the V Cornwall International Male Voice Choral Festival.
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
of classical music
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
, and a professional translator.
Education
Mäntyjärvi studied English and Linguistics at the University of HelsinkiUniversity of Helsinki
The University of Helsinki is a university located in Helsinki, Finland since 1829, but was founded in the city of Turku in 1640 as The Royal Academy of Turku, at that time part of the Swedish Empire. It is the oldest and largest university in Finland with the widest range of disciplines available...
, graduating with an FK (master's) degree in 1991. In 1987, he was accredited as an Authorized Translator from Finnish to English and English to Finnish, and since then he has been employed as a professional translator. He has also studied theory of music and choir conducting at the Sibelius Academy
Sibelius Academy
The Sibelius Academy is a university-level music school which operates in Helsinki and Kuopio, Finland. It also has an adult education centre in Järvenpää and a training centre in Seinäjoki. The Academy is the only music university in Finland. It is among the biggest European music universities...
.
Compositions
As a composer, Jaakko Mäntyjärvi describes himself as an eclectic traditionalist: eclectic in that he adopts influences from a number of styles and periods, fusing them into his own idiom; traditionalist in that his musical language is based on a traditional approach and uses the resources of modern music only sparingly. Because he is himself active in making music, his music is very practically oriented; he is a choral singer, and thus most of his works are for choir.His major choral works include Four Shakespeare Songs (1984), Dagen svalnar... (Day is cooling; 1991/93), Ave Maria (1991), Pseudo-Yoik (1994), El Hambo (1997), and More Shakespeare Songs (1997); his work Canticum Calamitatis Maritimae
Canticum Calamitatis Maritimae
Canticum Calamitatis Maritimae is an eight-part, a cappella classical choral composition by the Finnish composer Jaakko Mäntyjärvi. Completed in 1997, the piece was inspired by the MS Estonia disaster of 1994. It won third prize in the European composition competition for cathedral choirs in 1997...
received third prize in the European composition competition for cathedral choirs in 1997. His major commissions include a work for mixed choir for the contemporary choral music seminar at the Cork International Choral Festival
Cork International Choral Festival
The Cork International Choral Festival is held annually in Cork, Ireland over the May Bank Holiday Weekend and features choirs from all over the world.-History:...
in spring 1999, a choral work for the 700th anniversary of the consecration of Turku Cathedral in summer 2000, and commissions from Chanticleer
Chanticleer (ensemble)
Based in San Francisco, California, Chanticleer is a full-time classical vocal ensemble in the United States. Over the last three decades, it has developed a major reputation for its interpretations of Renaissance music, but it also performs a wide repertoire of jazz, gospel, and other venturesome...
(2001) and the King’s Singers (2002). He was composer-in-residence of the Tapiola Chamber Choir from 2000 to 2005. In 2006 he was commissioned to write a new 40-part work for choir, Tentatio, for the Tallis Festival
Tallis Festival
The Tallis Festival , hosted by Exmoor Singers of London, forms the Tallis Festival Choir for just one weekend every 12 to 18 months. The Festival always includes Thomas Tallis' Spem in Alium for 40-part choir, but in addition has commissioned new 40-part works by modern composers, as companion...
.
Mäntyjärvi has been active as an amateur and semi-professional musician, mainly as a choral singer with a number of Finnish choirs, including the Savonlinna Opera Festival Choir, the professional Sibelius Academy Vocal Ensemble and the Tapiola Chamber Choir. He conducted the Savolaisen Osakunnan Laulajat student choir from 1988 to 1993 and was deputy conductor of the Tapiola Chamber Choir from 1998 to 2004.
In 2011 Mäntyjärvi composed a choral work Cornish Lullaby for Helsinki Academic Male Choir KYL
Kauppakorkeakoulun Ylioppilaskunnan Laulajat
The Helsinki Academic Male Choir KYL is an academic men's choir based in Helsinki, Finland. The choir is associated with Aalto University, and the ensemble consist mainly of students and alumni of the university. The choir was founded in 1949. Since 1997 the artistic director of KYL has been Matti...
(Kauppakorkeakoulun Ylioppilaskunnan Laulajat
Kauppakorkeakoulun Ylioppilaskunnan Laulajat
The Helsinki Academic Male Choir KYL is an academic men's choir based in Helsinki, Finland. The choir is associated with Aalto University, and the ensemble consist mainly of students and alumni of the university. The choir was founded in 1949. Since 1997 the artistic director of KYL has been Matti...
), which was one of the pieces of the winning performance in the V Cornwall International Male Voice Choral Festival.
Works
- "Four Shakespeare Songs" (1984)
- "Dagen svalnar..." (Day is cooling, 1991/93)
- "Ave Maria" (1991)
- "Pseudo-Yoik" (1994)
- "Kouta" (1996)
- "El Hambo" (1997)
- "Canticum Calamitatis Maritimae", a memorial to the victims of the sinking of the car ferry Estonia in 1994, (1997)
- "More Shakespeare Songs" (1997)
- "Deux ballades de Francois Villon" (2001)
- "SALVAT 1701" (2001)
- "Tentatio" (2006)
Recordings
- Jaakko Mäntyjärvi: Choral works Pseudo-Yoik & El Hambo, Shakespeare Songs ('Come away, death'; 'Lullaby'; 'Double, double, toil and trouble'; 'Full fathom five'; 'Fear no more'; 'Over hill, over dale'; 'Time'; 'Who is Sylvia'; 'A scurvy tune'), Psalm 150", Canticum Calamatatis Maritimae, Kouta, Sibelius Academy Chamber Orchestra, Tapiola Chamber Choir, Emmiliiana Tikkala (piccolo), Hannu Norjanen Finlandia 0927 41563