Kaija Saariaho - Private Gardens (1997)

Typically ear-bending brilliance from Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho, in a collection of solo works from the 1990s.  Much like her other music featured here before (links below), sound manipulation plays a central role throughout, with every piece having "...and electronics" appended to the instrument of choice.

First up is sixteen bewtiching minutes of Lonh (1996), sung by Dawn Upshaw, with her soprano voice (and some spoken fragments and whispers in there too) emmeshed in the web of electronic sound.  Both from 1992, the three-part Près is an envigorating journey for solo cello and subtler manipulation, and NoaNoa combines regular flute playing with associated sounds of rustling, breathing and voice.  To round out a highly recommended collection of journeys into sound, the percussion cycle Six Japanese Gardens (1993-95) takes its inspiration from a visit to the gardens of Kyoto, and (again using voice as well as instrument) is by turns meditative and ritualistic.  Don't miss this one - as with all of Saariaho's music that I've heard, it just sounds so damn good.

link

pw: sgtg

Kaija Saariaho at SGTG:

Du Cristal...À la Fumée, Nymphéa

Graal Théâtre, Solar, Lichtbogen

Überzeugung, Nuits Adieux