Taste of Metal
Symphony for large orchestra
Orchestration: 3343/4331/1+4/organ/harp/archi
Duration: c. 40 minutes​
Year of Composition: 2023-2025
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I. low
II. flow
III. glow
IV. blow
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Commissioned by the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra and Orchestre de Paris. Will be premiered by Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Hannu Lintu.
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Picture by Markus Copper: Sketch for "Kursk"
Taste of Metal
"A composition, at its best, has everything, the entire life in a single moment." This idea shaped my approach to music long before I knew that the iconic Gustav Mahler had also arrived at a similar conclusion. The profound drive to craft a complete universe is more than just a philosophy; it is a necessity, a driving force behind my creative output, which culminates in my first symphony, Taste of Metal.​
The initial inspiration for the piece came from the works of Markus Copper, whose piercing, high-tension sculptures radiate danger, raw power, and an acute awareness of human fragility. In the same spirit, Taste of Metal unfolds an all-encompassing spectrum of experience, embracing beauty and brutality in equal measure. The symphony consists of four movements — low, flow, glow, blow — each forming part of an arch that spans from subterranean depths to fluid motion, from inner combustion to explosive release. It evokes the sensation of metal, its sound, weight, and the tang of blood.