A song cycle that shows the classical Liedzyklus in a new light

The texts of these art songs are something most of us don’t even stop to read properly. Theatre plays start by telling us what the stage looks like: The balcony of Juliet and the terrace of Herodias. These words are loaded with meaning and drama, but at the same time, they have almost poetical clarity. They tell us where the drama is going to happen. And with the help of experimental music theatre and nuanced use of the singing voice, these texts are woken up by the singer.

Any number of the songs may be performed in a concert in any order. The songs are written to be premiered by different voices and different instruments. The accompanying instruments include piano, violin, viola, kantele, and saxophones.

The Xenon ensemble commissioned four Debussy parts.

The full list of Hyytiäinen’s songs, including the different versions, can be found here.

The parts (as of August 2023)

• Waiting for Godot
• 4.48 Psychosis
• Salome
• Three sister
• Debussy – Le Martyre de saint Sébastien
• Debussy-Jeux
• Debussy – Usher
• Debussy – Pelleas et Melisande
• Les Indes Galantes
• Leben des Galilei
• Dreigroschenoper
• Herr Puntila
• Mahagonny