Petals (composition)

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Petals is a piece of spectral music composed by Kaija Saariaho for cello and live electronics. It is one of the works studied in the Edexcel syllabus for the A-Level in Music. [1] [2] [3] It has been recorded both by its dedicatee, Anssi Karttunen, on the Finlandia label and by the cellist Wilhelmina Smith on the Ondine label. [4] [5]

Contents

Background

In 1982, Saariaho started studying at the Institute de Recherche et Coordination Acoustique/Musical in Paris. She focused her interests on computer-based sound spectrum analysis, electronic music, music combining live performance and electronics and the use of computers in the actual composition of music. [2] Petals was written in 1988 over the course of a few days. It was performed for the first time in Bremen, by the Finnish cellist Anssi Karttunen. [6] Petals mixes live and electronically processed sounds. The piece plays around with the contrasts between instrumental and electronic/recorded sound and with the expansion of the natural sounds made by conventional instruments so that they can sound like electronics. Petals is deeply inspired by one of her other pieces, Nymphea (Jardin Secret III) (1987), a piece written for string quartet and electronics. The name of the piece was derived from this relationship. [7]

Instrumentation and technique

Petals can be performed as a solo for cello uniquely, or with electronic amplification and signal processing. By composing two opposite modes of expression in this piece, Saariaho wants to force the interpreter to stretch his/her sensibility. The cello writing in this piece uses a variety of different instrumental techniques:

Electronics

The optional use of the suggested amplification/signal processing set-up clarifies some aspects in regards to the solo cello version. Three main techniques are used in this work:

Structure

Petals does not consist of a fixed structure. The score is presented in a one-stave-per-line layout. This piece relies on two opposite themes which organize it into two contrasting sections: fragile coloristic passages and more energetic events with clear rhythmic and melodic character. The coloristic sections are marked with tempo lento and sempre legatissimo; have harmonics, glissandos and trills; the dynamics are quieter; have long note values and bow pressure is used. On the other hand, the more energetic sections have a higher number of bpm; have microtonal and chromatic runs; have louder dynamics; shorter note values; are rhythmically very complex and make greater use of reverb and harmoniser effects. [1] [2]

Texture

Petals uses three types of textures:

Tonality

Kaija Saariaho's intentions did not revolve around pitch organisation in this piece, therefore it is atonal. [2] However, in absence of a key, the idea of a tonic can be heard in some areas of the piece. For example, a low C becomes the center to the ear throughout the staves 17-27. [3]

Melody

Themes and melodic motives aren't used in this piece, however, there are some noticeable features that develop some melodic ideas:

Rhythm, metre and tempo

Tempo is varied throughout the piece and is marked by the terms accelerandi and ritenuti . Some sections have notated tempo, for example 60 bpm during some energetic passages. The lento passages are pulseless, hence, creating contrast between the sections where pulse is evident and the ones where it is not. Dectuplets, syncopations between septuplets and quintuplets and grace notes are used in the metrically active sections. Overall, the rhythms becomes less established along the course of the piece. [3]

Related Research Articles

In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece and is usually measured in beats per minute. In modern classical compositions, a "metronome mark" in beats per minute may supplement or replace the normal tempo marking, while in modern genres like electronic dance music, tempo will typically simply be stated in bpm.

IRCAM

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Kaija Saariaho

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Cello Concerto (Elgar)

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Violin Concerto (Ligeti)

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...à la Fumée is a symphonic composition by Kaija Saariaho written in 1990, at the age of 38. It is a sequel to her 1989-90 work Du Cristal..., and starts where it ends, with a violoncello solo long trill sul ponticello. Both compositions form the title From Glass Into Smoke, inspired by Henri Atlan's 1979 essay Entre le cristal et la fumée: Essai sur l'organisation de vivant. Unlike Du Cristal..., ...à la Fumée features two soloists, a flute and a cello, which are distorted electronically. Lasting circa 18 minutes, it was premiered in Helsinki on 20 March 1991 by flutist Petri Alanko, cellist Anssi Karttunen and the Finnish Radio Symphony conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen.

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Little (Chamber) Symphony No. 1 “Le Printemps” Op. 43, as the first of a collection of six “Little Symphonies,” by Darius Milhaud is a symphony by name, due to its length of just over 3 minutes. This piece should not be confused with Milhaud's Symphony No. 1. The piece was composed in Rio de Janeiro in the year 1917. It first premiered in Rio de Janeiro in 1918, and was published by Universal in 1922. The influence of Brazilian culture, jazz, and polytonality is very clearly seen in this series of symphonies. According to Milhaud himself, he was quite attracted to the unusual quality of small groups of instruments, which is why he embarked on his series of Petites Symphonies. Due to the fact that he was living in Brazil, acting as assistant to the diplomat/poet Paul Claudel, at the time he wrote this first symphony some of the Brazilian influence can be viewed in his work. This first symphony was written for piccolo, flute, clarinet, oboe, harp, 2 violins, viola, and cello. Overall, this piece has a very simple melody, contains polytonal elements, and possesses a pastoral, folkish feeling throughout. The melodies and pitches evoke a light, airy feeling, such as that of the spring, thus alluding to the symphony's subtitle.

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Circle Map is a composition for orchestra and electronics by the Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho. The work was jointly commissioned by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestre National de France, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, and the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra. It was first performed at the Holland Festival in Gashouder, Amsterdam on June 22, 2012, by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra under the conductor Susanna Mälkki.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Guinane, David. "Saariaho's Petals" (PDF). Rhinegold.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Edexcel AS/A level anthology of music. ISBN   1292118369.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Saariaho Petals Set Work Support Guide" (PDF). Pearson Qualifications.
  4. ↑ Moisala, Pirkko and Diamond, Beverley (2000). Music and Gender, p. 187. University of Illinois Press. ISBN   0252068653
  5. 1 2 Mellor, Andrew (May 2019). "Review: Essa-Pekka Salonen, Kaija Saariaho: Works for Cello". Gramophone Magazine . Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  6. ↑ Saariaho, Kaija. "Score: Petals" (PDF).
  7. ↑ Hargreaves, Jon (2017). Kaija Saariaho: Visions, Narratives, Dialogues, pp. 82, 98, 104. Routledge. ISBN   135156143X
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