Arttu Kataja, baritone
Pauliina Tukiainen, piano 

Baritone Arttu Kataja and pianist Pauliina Tukiainen are among the brightest artists in the Finnish lied music. At the concert of the Organ Night and Aria Festival, the duo takes us on a sensory-opening trip to nature. The program is curated around the theme of wandering, that is often depicted in romantic era. The theme wandering includes the idea, that in order to find a connection with one’s innermost feelings, one must get seek the nature, alone and far from civilization. The Finnish equivalent of this is probably wandering in the forest. The concert begins with a selection of Schubert’s songs to Mayrhofer’s poems and continues with songs by seven Finnish composers to the texts of V. A. Koskenniemi. The second half of the program includes Sibelius’s five romantic songs for piano and R. Vaughan Williams’ song series Songs of Travel, which is rarely heard in Finland.  

Kataja and Tukiainen’s joint lied debut album “Serious Songs” received top reviews and words of praise, such as “the most credible lied in years”. The album was nominated for both The Finnish Broadcasting Company’s Album of the Year 2020 and the Emma Award 2021 for Best Classical Music Album. In 2022, they released a recording of the Winterreise song series as a duo, which was also a critical success. In addition to their valued lied cooperation, Kataja and Tukiainen both have successful international careers. Baritone Arttu Kataja is a member of the soloist of the Berlin State Opera and has performed operatic roles and concerts throughout Europe. Pauliina Tukiainen is an internationally sought-after interpreter and a teacher of lied music.  

“The lied debut of Kataja and Tukiainen is definitely not a side project. It meets international level and strikes at the heart of the lied and leaves no questions asked. Except “When can we hear lied by Kataja again in Finland?” – Kare Eskola, Finnish Broadcasting Company

Finnish Broadcasting Company YLE will broadcast the concert.

Espoo Cathedral
Kirkkopuisto 5, Espoo

Program

Franz Schubert – Songs to F. Mayrhofer‘s poems  
 
Auf der Donau, Op. 21 No. 1 
Der Schiffer, D.536 
Fahrt zum Hades, D.526 
Nachtstück, D.672 
 
Songs to V.A. Koskenniemi poems 
 
Erkki Melartin: Tule armaani, Op. 47 No. 1 
Aarre Merikanto: Rannalta  
Heino Kaski: Katson virran kalvohon, Op. 36 No. 3  
Toivo Kuula: Sinipiika, Op. 23 No. 1 
Yrjö Kilpinen: Kesäyössä,  Op. 23 No.3 
Oskar Merikanto: Illansuussa, Op. 69 No. 2 
Paavo Heininen: Angoscia – ikävyys  
–  
J. Sibelius: Five romantic songs for piano op. 10 
 
1. Romance (Romanssi)  
2. Chant du soir (Iltalaulu)  
5. Scène romantique (Romanttinen kohtaus)  
 
R. Vaughan Williams: Songs of travel Nrot. 1-9 (R. L. Stevenson)  
 
1. The vagabond  
2. Let beauty awake  
3. The roadside fire  
4. Youth and love  
5. In dreams  
6. The infinite shining heavens  
7. Whither must I wander?  
8. Bright is the ring of words  
9. I have trod the upward and the downward slope