The Finnish composer and conductor Leif Segerstam died on Wednesday, October 9, in Helsinki, at the age of 80. Multi-instrumentalist and prolific creator capable of writing nine symphonies in one month, which appeared late in his life as the “twin brother” Santa Claus (long, white hair and beard) and Johannes Brahms (face of a prophet, build of a titan) also played a decisive role, as a teacher at the Sibelius Academy from 1997 to 2013, in the training of numerous current leading players. of the baton, such as Susanna Mälkki, former musical director of the Ensemble intercontemporain. Requested by World to evoke this “analytical and generous teacher”she sums up her personality like this : “Eccentric, yes, but his qualities were greater. »
Leif Segerstam was born on March 2, 1944 in Vaasa (Finland). His parents, who speak Swedish, are teachers. In 1947, after his mother secured a place at a Swedish language school in Helsinki, the family moved to the Finnish capital. Very fast, “ Lefa” draws attention for his musical skills. Pointing out to his father that a vinyl record doesn’t spin at the right speed and, above all, learning to use all the brass instruments (from the alto horn to the cornet and the tuba).
At the age of 8 he entered the youth department of the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki and, three years later, he served as concertmaster of the establishment’s youth orchestra. At the age of 13 he played the piano in a cabaret to accompany… a stripper’s act. Leif Segerstam’s exceptional versatility came to light in 1962 when, within weeks, he won the prestigious Maj Lind piano competition and made his debut as a concert violinist.
“Inhabited” performance
The following year, after graduating from the Sibelius Academy (violin, conducting), the young Finn went to perfect his skills at the Juilliard School in New York, in the class of the French conductor Jean Morel (1903-1975), whom He left in 1965 to go into business. Appointed artistic director of the Royal Opera in Stockholm in 1968, Leif Segerstam increased his commitments. In the late 1970s, he served as principal conductor of the Austrian Radio Symphony Orchestra in Vienna (from 1975 to 1982) and the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra in Helsinki (from 1977 to 1987).
In Germany (Rhineland-Palatinate State Philharmonic, from 1983 to 1989), in Denmark (National Radio Symphony Orchestra, from 1988 to 1995) and in his native country (Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, from 1995 to 2007), the maestro stands out for its “live” shows. At the opposite pole (stretched tempos, intensified lyricism, monumental dramaturgy) of those of the austere Paavo Berglund (1929-2012), his interpretations of the symphonies of Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) are comparable to rivers of extraordinary power.
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