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Flotation Device bids farewell to Kaija Saariaho with a survey of her career ranging from early electroacoustic works through solo, ensemble and orchestral compositions to the just-premiered, and deeply disturbing, Innocence, widely regarded as her crowning work.
We espy Saariaho’s influence on younger composers like Žibuoklė Martinaitytė, enumerate some of her key predecessors, and contemplate whether her legacy fits better with the sensual tradition of colorful French music or with the more stolid, introspective lineage of Nordic composers. The last word will go to Saariaho’s rarely-heard Cloud Music, an electro-ambient sonic environment released on a limited-edition CD with only 100 copies.
We’ve got new recordings too, headlined by Henry Threadgill’s The Other One, and also including Yikii, Elsa Bergman, Klaus Ospald, and Northwesterners Wally Shoup and Tom Baker. Historical nods to Karel Goeyvaerts and Dewey Redman round out the playlist.
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Flotation Device 2023-06-11: Annotated playlist by host Michael Schell
Intro and SET 1: The other ones [0:00]
1. [1:46] Henry Threadgill: The Other One (excerpts). From The Other One (Pi, 2023) with Henry Threadgill Ensemble: Alfredo Colón (alto saxophone), Noah Becker (alto saxophone, clarinet), Peyton Pleninger (tenor saxophone), Sara Schoenbeck, Adam Cordero (bassoons), Sara Caswell (violin), Stephanie Griffin (viola), Mariel Roberts, Christopher Hoffman (cellos), Jose Davila (tuba), David Virelles (piano), Craig Weinrib (percussion, electronics), Henry Threadgill (conductor), Stephen Cooper, Eric Sherkerjian (recording engineers). NOTE: Recorded live May 21, 2022 at Roulette Intermedium, Brooklyn, NY
2. [6:14] Elsa Bergman: Maths. From Playon Crayon (Bergman Inspelningar, 2023) with Susana Santos Silva (trumpet), Katt Hernandez (violin), David Stackenäs (guitar), Elsa Bergman (double bass), Matilda Rolfsson (drums), Göran Stegborn (recording engineer)
3. [9:45] Yikii: Splendor 辉煌. From The Crow-Cyan Lake 鸦青湖畔 (Unseelie, 2023) with Yikii Tong AKA Yikii
4. [14:00] Anne La Berge, Tom Baker: Rust, Amber, And Clay. From sand (Present Sounds, 2023) with Anne La Berge (flute and electronics), Tom Baker (guitar, theremin, and electronics), Luc van Weelden (recording engineer)
5. [16:59] Lucia Martínez, Agustí Fernández, Barry Guy: La viuda de la Macuira. From Bosque de niebla (Fundacja Słuchaj, 2021) with Lucia Martínez (drums, percussion, cracklebox, voice), Agustí Fernández (piano), Barry Guy (bass), Ferran Conangla (recording engineer)⠀
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SET 2: Kaija Saariaho (1952–2023) [24:49]
1. [30:38] Kaija Saariaho: Oltra mar - 2. Amour (text: Abu Saïd), 3. Vagues. From Cinq Reflets, Nymphea Reflection, Oltra Mar (Ondine, 2004) with Tapiola Chamber Choir, Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Jukka-Pekka Saraste. NOTE: Composed 1999, "seven preludes for the new millenium"
2. [35:58] Kaija Saariaho: Maa - 4. Forest. From Maa (Earth) (Ondine, 1992) with Eva Tigerstedt (flute), Pauliina Ahola (harp), Mikko-Ville Luolajan-Mikkola (violin), Lea Pekkala (cello), Jaana Kärkkäinen (harpsichord, synthesizer), Juhani Hapuli, Tapio Aaltonen (percussion), Juhani Liimatainen (electronics), Tapio Tuomela (conductor), Heikki Savolainen (recording engineer). NOTE: Composed 1991. A dance performance of Forest from Maa can be viewed at https://youtu.be/cA_77H6BdM8
3. [44:27] Kaija Saariaho: Sept papillons (excerpts). From Salonen, Saariaho: Works for Solo Cello (Ondine, 2019) with Wilhelmina Smith (cello). NOTE: Composed 2000
4. [46:52] Kaija Saariaho: Ciel d'hiver. Performed live October 18–20, 2018 at Benaroya Hall by Seattle Symphony, Ruth Reinhardt (conductor), Dmitriy Lipay (recording engineer). NOTE: Composed 2013 after Orion - Movement 2: Winter Sky (2002)
5. [55:51] Outro with Kaija Saariaho: Innocence
6. [1:01:21] Dewey Redman: Innerconnection. From The Ear of the Behearer (Impulse, 1973) with Dewey Redman (alto saxophone), Ted Daniel (trumpet), Jane Robertson (cello), Sirone (bass, wood flute), Eddie Moore (drums). NOTE: Recorded June 8–9, 1973 at Generation Sound Studios, New York⠀
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SET 3: Intro with Karel Goeyvaerts: Composition No. 4 With Dead Tones [1:06:15]
1. [1:09:28] Karel Goeyvaerts: Composition No. 5 With Pure Tones. From The Serial Works Nos. 1–7 (Megadisc, 1998) with Champ D'Action. NOTE: Realized 1952
2. [1:12:04] Klaus Ospald: Más raíz, menos criatura (excerpts). From Musica Viva #42: Klaus Ospald (BR Klassik, 2023) with Singer Pur, Markus Bellheim (piano), Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Peter Rundel (conductor), Jochen Fornell (recording engineer). NOTE: Composed 2014–15, revised 2017, text by Miguel Hernández
3. [1:18:20] Klaus Ospald: Quintett von den entlegenen Feldern (excerpt). From Musica Viva #42: Klaus Ospald (BR Klassik, 2023) with Ensemble Experimental, Experimentalstudio des SWR, Reinhold Braig, Maurice Oeser, Simon Spillner (sound direction), Peter Tilling (conductor), Klaus Brand (recording engineer). NOTE: Composed 2012–13, revised 2014
4. [1:18:47] Wally Shoup, Greg Kelley, Tom Scully, Casey Adams: Not Really Now Not Anymore. From None of This Is Implausible (Obscure & Terrible, 2023) with Wally Shoup (saxophone), Greg Kelley (Trumpet), Tom Scully (guitar), Casey Adams (percussion), Dustin Williams (recording engineer)
5. [1:26:58] Žibuoklė Martinaitytė: Epipelagic - Part 4. From Hadal Zone (Cantaloupe, 2023) with Synaesthesis: Artoras Kazimekas (bass clarinet), Simonas Kaupinis (tuba), Arnas Kmieliauskas (cello), Donatas Butkevicius (contrabass), Marta Finkelstein (piano), Volti (choral samples from Chant des Voyelles), Robert Geary (choral conductor), Vilius Keras, Evelina Bajoriniene (recording engineers)⠀
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SET 4: Ambient Saariaho [1:33:49]
1. [1:37:10] Kaija Saariaho: Maa - 5. Windows. From Maa (Earth) (as above) with Kaija Saariaho (tape alone)
2. [1:47:09] Kaija Saariaho: Trans - 3. Messager. From True Fire, Ciel d'hiver, Trans (Ondine, 2019) with Xavier de Maistre (harp), Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Hannu Lintu (conductor). NOTE: Composed 2015
3. [1:56:06] Outro with Kaija Saariaho: Cloud Music (from limited-edition CD Musical Environments, Petals, 1999)
Photo credits: Henry Threadgill via Pi Recordings, Kaija Saariaho by Andrew Campbell, Karel Goeyvaerts by BRTN, Yikii via the artist, Žibuoklė Martinaitytė by Lina Aiduke, Dewey Redman by Michael Hoefner, Elsa Bergman by Petra Cvelbar, Tom Baker by Haley Freedlund, Klaus Ospald by Michael Aust, Magdalena Kožená and Vilma Jää in Saariaho: Innocence.