Kaija Saariaho: Spins and Spells | Coleman Itzkoff, cello

Extended technique, anyone? Heifetz Ensemble In Residence [HEIR] member Coleman Itzkoff performs "Spins and Spells," composed in 1996 by Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho. Coleman performs it in the gallery of the Staunton-Augusta Arts Center in historic downtown Staunton, VA.
In the words of the composer, "The title evokes the two gestures which are at the origin of the work: on the one hand the pattern which I call 'spinning tops' turning around on the one spot or undergoing changes, and on the other, timeless moments, centered on the sound color and texture.
"The entire piece unfolds either around or between these two gestures. I chose to re-tune the instrument in order to personalize the harmonic writing: the fifths are replaced by structures favoring major sixths and minor thirds. Challenged by this scodatura, the sonority of Spins and Spells reminds me of the music and the instrumental colors of another age, far older than those of the cello that we know, although seen and transformed again through my own universe."
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[@anssivk]

Bravo for a really great performance Coleman!