Saariaho-Petals

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Introduction

  • Written in 1988 by Kaija Saariaho
  • Born in Finland in 1952
  • 1982-moved to Paris to study at ICRAM (Institute for Research and Coordination in Acoustics/music)
  • Studied spectral music-focus on timbre and texture
  • Murail-"Control to the finest possible degree"
  • Influenced by Murail, Webern and Grisey
  • Follow-on piece from Nymphea (1987)
  • Influenced by Claude Monet painting (Waterlillies)
  • Cellist was Anssi Kartunnen
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Wider Listening

  • New Gates for flute, viola and harp-Saariaho
    • high tessitura
    • added bow pressure
    • sul ponticello
  • Different Trains (1988)-Steve Reich
    • syncopation
    • harmoniser
    • vocal recordings
  • Black Angels (1970)-George Crumb
    • high tessitura
    • tremolo
    • groupings of 7
  • Cello Concerto (1970)-Lutoslavski
    • ornamentation
    • pitch bends
    • pitches with no nite heads
    • increase and reduction of bow pressure
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Instrumentation

  • Four layers of sounds: Reverb and harmonisers (Electronic) and acoustic and ambient (Natural)
  • Traditional cello uses sul ponticello/tasto, added/reduced bow pressure micro intervals, trills and glissandos
  • reverb times are set at 2.5 seconds increasing to 15 seconds in stave 21 and 30 seconds at the end
  • harmoniser is set at a quarter-tone
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Texture

  • monophonic (stave 10)
  • two-part writing (stave 17)
  • layers are built upon with sustained notes
  • four layers of sound
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Rhythm and Metre

  • sustained notes 
  • irregular groupings i.e. dectuplets, septuplets and quintuplets
  • quaver movement
  • syncopation
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Melody

  • No specific melody
  • use of microtones
  • intervals of a Maj 7th (stave 10) and aug 4th (stave 12)
  • ornamentation
  • descending figures
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Structure

  • one continuous movement
  • separated into two sections that differentiate rhythmically
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