Kaija Saariaho Danse des flocons for
two violins (2002)
Chester Music
About the work
issuu version for perusal only
Kaija Saariaho originally composed the two duets entitled Danse des flocons for her daughter Aliisa, who at the time was seven years old and an aspiring violinist. The titular flocons (flakes) refer both to snow – and Aliisa’s middle name Neige –and to pollen raining from the trees in the spring and summer, merging Vivaldian influences into a blend of seasons. Adapted to the technical abilities of very young violinists, the pieces are a soft introduction to Saariaho’s use of trills in her string writing. As trills are endowed with various bowings, shifting dynamics and, ultimately, a glissando, the young players learn to subvert pitch, presented in clean staccato notes, with inharmonic color painting.
Saariaho later wrote a series of more advanced violin duets, also for Aliisa, under the title Botanique.
The pieces were performed by Aliisa Neige Barrière on multiple occasions in 2002. They were then published in Éditions Henry Lemoine’s anthology of short contemporary violin pieces, intended to familiarize beginners with contemporary performance techniques.
Aleksi Barrière, October 2023
Danse des flocons is also available in versions for violin and piano (CH88348) and for string orchestra (CH88349).
CH88343
EAN 5020679007594
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Saariaho I © 2023 Chester Music Ltd. issuu version for perusal only
Kaija