Peach

 

For orchestra
2019

 

Duration
9 min.

 

Instrumentation
2222 2210 11 0, strings
or 1111 2110 11 0, strings (Reduced version)

 

Commissioned by
The Finnish Chamber Orchestra and Jukka-Pekka Saraste

 

Premiere by
The Finnish Chamber Orchestra
Conducted by Jukka-Pekka Saraste
Aug 2 2019
Tammisaari, Finland

Peach paints a portrait of a moment or moments that evoke a feeling of a light and airy dream. In my mind it is a warm summer day, a bright flicker that makes things feel unreal and fills the body with pleasure, itching and tingling sensations.

The various meanings of the word ’peach’ have inspired the shape, colors, textures and associations of the work. Soft and round shapes as well as rich and luscious harmonies and melodies color a story that radiates gentleness, weightlessness, sensuality and juiciness. An intimate and tender moment takes shape, a place where things are given time to mature.

In the composition, I wanted to capture that place and a particular feeling that breathes deep in the summer air and its light breezes, awakes the senses and bursts sweetness like a fruit.

Past performances

Apr 5 2023
Helsinki Philharmonic
Conducted by Jukka-Pekka Saraste
Music Centre, Helsinki, Finland

Jan 21 2023 (Reduced version)
Asko|Schönberg
Conducted by Bas Wiegers
Concertgebouw, Grote Zaal, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Sep 3 2022 (Reduced version)
Secession Orchestra
Conducted by Clément Mao-Takacs
Production by La Chambre aux échos
Finnish National Opera and Ballet, Helsinki, Finland

Sep 2 2022 (Reduced version)
Secession Orchestra
Conducted by Clément Mao-Takacs
Production by La Chambre aux échos
Finnish National Opera and Ballet, Helsinki, Finland

Aug 31 2022 (Reduced version)
Secession Orchestra
Conducted by Clément Mao-Takacs
Production by La Chambre aux échos
Finnish National Opera and Ballet, Helsinki, Finland

Dec 17 2021
Tapiola Sinfonietta
Conducted by Olari Elts
Tapiola Hall, Espoo, Finland

Apr 1 2021 CANCELLED due to COVID-19
Tapiola Sinfonietta
Conducted by Ryan Bancroft
Tapiola Hall, Espoo, Finland

Aug 2 2019
The Finnish Chamber Orchestra
Conducted by Jukka-Pekka Saraste
Tammisaari Church, Tammisaari, Finland

Sheet Music

Schott Music
Schott Music GmbH & Co. KG
Weihergarten 5
55116 Mainz
info@schott-music.com
+49 6131 246-0

Press Quotes

“The concert began close to nature with the young Finn Sebastian Hilli’s (b. 1990) work Peach. The focus seemed to be on a body enjoying a hot summer day. Peach evoked sensations related to touch and warmth. Its motifs and sounds tickled, rattled, groaned, puffed and pounded various biorhythms. The tone painting is skilfully unique, intoxicated by the heat.”
Hannu-Ilari Lampila, Helsingin Sanomat, Dec 18 2021

 

“In honor of Jubilee, a new work had been commissioned by Sebastian Hilli, who seems to go from clarity to clarity. A ten-minute miniature is a grateful format, and in the new work Peach Hilli mainly explores textures and colors rather than melodic material. Here, the strings form a calm mat with small ripples on the surface, while the small, powerful color clicks stand out: some wild accents in the brass section, woodwinds ticking like small woodpeckers. The percussion colors are utilized clearly, so that every individual instrument gets its color heard, from timpani to tubular bells. The strings are also allowed to give their all in quantities of Bartók pizzicato, which slam in cascades of sharp shots. To my taste, Ekenäs church is still in the smaller side for the orchestral fireworks of Hilli. ”
Tove Djupsjöbacka, HBL, Aug 03 2019

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