Kaija Saariaho Saarikoski-laulut
(Saarikoski Songs)
for voice and orchestra (2020–2021)
Text: Pentti Saarikoski
Chester Music
CH88194 EAN 5020679004128
© 2021 Chester Music Ltd
Published in Great Britain by Chester Music Limited (Part of Wise Music Group)
Text © Copyright 2018 Pentti Saarikoski
All Rights Reserved
Reproduced by permission
Head office: 14–15, Berners Street, London W1T 3LJ
United Kingdom
Tel +44 (0)20 7612 7400
Exclusive Distributors: Hal Leonard Europe Limited 42, Wigmore Street, London W1U 2RN
United Kingdom
Tel +44 (0)20 7395 0380 www.wisemusicclassical.com
All Rights Reserved
No part of this publication may be copied or reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior permission of Chester Music Limited.
Instrumentation
Flute
Alto Flute (=Piccolo)
Oboe
Cor Anglais
Clarinet in BBass Clarinet
Bassoon
Contrabassoon
2 Horn in F
Trumpet in C
ISSUU version for perusal only
Timpani + Large Cymbal + Temple Bowl
Percussion (1 player):
Xylophone
Marimba
Crotales
3 Suspended Cymbals (large, medium, small)
Triangle
2 Woodblocks
Wood Chimes
Guiro
Glass Chimes
Tambourine
Small Bell
Snare Drum
Frame Drum
Bass Drum
Tam-tam
Celesta
Solo Soprano
Strings
The score is transposed
Crotales sound two octaves higher than written
The original version of Kaija Saariaho’s Saarikoski-laulut for voice and piano (CH88086) was written for the soprano Anu Komsi, to whom the songs are dedicated.
This orchestral version was commissioned by the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra and Boston Symphony Orchestra, Andris Nelsons, Music Director.
The first performance took place on 24 February 2022 at Symphony Hall, Boston USA, given by Anu Komsi (soprano), with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Andris Nelsons.
Duration: c. 24 minutes
Orchestral parts are available on hire from the publisher
Notation
General
Accidentals apply throughout the bar to notes in the same octave and the same stave.
ISSUU version for perusal only
Trills should always be played up a semitone, unless otherwise specified.
Tremolo should always be as dense as possible.
change very gradually from one sound or one way of playing (etc.) to another.
>o diminuendo al niente
o< crescendo dal niente
μ quarter tone, between natural and sharp
B quarter tone, between natural and flat slow vibrato: very slow and wide oscillation
When vibrato markings are not specified, players can use their usual vibrato. “Molto vibrato” always means a rapid and quite narrow vibrato, unless otherwise specified.
l.v. laissez vibrer (allow to sound as long as possible)
All glissandi should start immediately at the beginning of the note value.
Woodwind
breath tone: use the fingering needed to produce the marked pitch, however, do not produce the normal tone but just blow air through the instrument.
normal tone
M multiphonic: choose multiphonics allowing a smooth transition into the given pitch Strings
S.P. sul ponticello
S.T. sul tasto on the bridge
N. normal (used with S.P. and S.T., otherwise ord.)
h pizz. gl.
Ÿ~~~~~~~~ O w O ( )
the final note of a glissando is not to be played separately
vertical trill: produced by alternating the finger pressure between normal ( w ) and light (harmonic, O ); the result should be alternating normal and harmonic sounds. This trill can be played slightly slower than normal trills, so that both pitches can be heard.
a trill between two harmonics: alternate between the two harmonics by lifting the fingers in turn to allow the individual harmonics to be heard; this trill can be played slightly slower than normal trills.
a trill produced between two artificial harmonics: alternate the harmonic by moving the upper finger(s) so that both harmonics can be heard in turn; this trill can be played slower than normal trills.
pizzicato tremolo: alternate two fingers; always slightly uneven
When playing long sustained notes, the bow changes should always be imperceptible and made independently of the other players. During long slurs which include several long sustained notes a change of note should preferably not coincide with a change of bow.
Percussion
The choice of sticks is left to the musicians. Whether hard or soft, always choose sticks giving as much resonance as possible.
Saarikoski Songs
ISSUU version for perusal only
The collection Alue (The District, 1973) is a break from Pentti Saarikoski’s output of the 1960s, which was centred on political commentary and poetry as a means for social transformation. It was also written shortly before his separation from his wife and self-imposed exile to Sweden, where he authored his last works, inspired by a renewed interest in Greek mythology. The text of Alue is written in the form of unnumbered fragments, comprising reflections on the author’s life, his walks in the Helsinki neighbourhood of Pohjois-Haaga with his child between winter and spring, and the destruction of the nearby forest to give way to new apartment buildings.
Aleksi Barrière
I
Mutta luonnon kasvot ovat tyynet maailman loppuun asti. Kevätpäivät tuoksuvat epätarkoilta muistoilta, käden, kiihtyneen hengityksen.
Metsä on akatemia jonka barbaarit hävittivät. Tuulessa kuuluu sukupuuttoon kuolleiden lintujen laulu.
II
Jokaisella on tästä lähtien tämänsä johon hän on täällä sidottu. Mitään ei vaihdeta enää.
Ei se on tullut mahdottomaksi.
Sitä ei ole kielletty lailla koska se on tullut mahdottomaksi. Sitä ei ole ruvettu paheksumaan koska se on tullut mahdottomaksi.
Tästä lähtien täällä on jokaisella tämänsä josta hän pitää kiinni.
III
Mutta me näemme harmaan kaislikon ja iloitsemme.
Mutta me kosketamme kiveä ja iloitsemme.
Kaikki tämä on tapahtunut hiljattain. Ja me iloitsemme yhdessä kaiken kanssa mikä on.
IV
Käärme puree leukansa kiinni. Eikä lintu siipiä avaa. Me tulimme meluisen metsän läpi. Ja ilman halki.
Tätä aluetta ei kenenkään tarvitse sanoa. Minussa lintu ja käärme häikäilemättä!
V
Väliinjäävä aika jähmettyy vuoriksi jotka näen sumun läpi katsomatta.
Pentti Saarikoski
But the face of nature is peaceful will be till the end of the world. The spring days smell like imprecise memories, of a hand, of an agitated breath. The forest is an academy obliterated by barbarians. In the wind can be heard the song of birds who died in the extinction.
Everyone from now on will have their own this to which they are bound. No further changes will be made. No no it has become impossible. It has not been banned by law since it has in fact become impossible. It has not started to be frowned upon since it has in fact become impossible. From now on here everyone will have their own this to which they cling.
But we see a bed of grey reeds and we rejoice. But we touch a stone and we rejoice. All of this has happened recently. And we rejoice together with everything that is.
The snake closes its mouth in a bite. And the bird won’t open her wings. We came through a noisy forest. And through the air. Nobody ought to tell about this district. In me the bird and the snake unscrupulous!
The interstitial time petrifies into mountains that I see without looking through the mist.
translated by Aleksi Barrière
ISSUU version for perusal only
Transposed score