Concerto for Cello and Orchestra No. 2 "Labyrinths of Life" (2023)
(for violoncello and orchestra)

I know there is no straight road
No straight road in this world
Only a giant labyrinth
Of intersecting crossroads
^{Federico Garcia Lorca}

All three movements of this concerto (Dark, Deep, Light) are performed attacca. The first movement explores the low register of cello, with the solo line moving reaching its heights alongside explosive orchestral passages.

The second movement brings the soloist to the centre of introspection with reflections of the outside world. The cadenza – which may be somewhat surprising given the percussive techniques of the cello – and the following orchestral taking over could be seen as a certain overcoming of the crisis. The last movement represents inner liberation and the sparkling joy of perceiving it. Before the end, the soundscape becomes more and more airy and ethereal. Is it the end or a new beginning? 

Commissioned by Bamberger Symphoniker, Estonian National Symphony Orchestra and Philharmonia Orchestra London

Erkki-Sven Tüür