Kaija Saariaho
Private Gardens

THE REVIEW

Four traditional sound sources are complemented by electronics in each of the tracks on this anthology CD, all written between 1992 and 1996: a soprano voice in "Lonh", a cello in "Près", a flute in "NoaNoa", and percussion in "Six Japanese Gardens". The author is the Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho, a prominent name in contemporary music.

As soon as the CD is placed in the player, the rarefied sounds of "Lonh" transport the listener into a magical and enchanting dimension. The soprano sings an ancient Provençal text but is often doubled by the electronic part with a text collage in three languages: Provençal, French, and English. Concrete sounds (wind and rain, birdsong) are added to the vocal material, and the whole is transformed and spatialized in various ways with the help of electronics.

Persistent use of reverb in "Près", a piece of almost 20 minutes, divided into three parts, where the original voice of the cello often merges with synthetic sounds. Electronics are used with filters, different types of delay, transposition techniques.

It is clear: Kaija Saariaho leaves nothing to chance; hers is a music of research but the intellectual tension does not exclude the pleasantness of sound and the attempt to seduce the listener wholly acoustically.

Also "NoaNoa" does not limit itself to the use of the flute in a simple solo guise: in addition to the instrument's sounds, the choppy phrases whispered, sighs and whispers of the performer are amplified and electronically treated to once more produce a piece rich in poetry and suggestiveness.

Finally, the six "Japanese Gardens", almost 19 minutes, in which the percussion writing is calligraphic and meticulous, do not seek to overwhelm the listener with dense or fortissimo sounds; on the contrary: the listener is gently led into the refined rarefaction of sounds (especially tuned percussion from the metal family). The electronic part includes environmental sounds and ritual chants, but it's evident in this track that there is a sound blend that echoes the Orient, and indeed it is a musical portrait of a Japanese residence made by the composer. She is Kaija Saariaho: listening to this CD provides a good introduction to her work.