Kaija Saariaho: Lichtbogen (1985/1986)

[@russelljohns5050]

Allow me to share how i expereinced this piece. In November 1988 I attended a concert by members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. I had been given the ticket on short notice, and knew nothing about the music -- not the composer, title, nothing. I was stuck in horrible L.A. traffic and just barely made it to the concert, the last person let in as the lights were dimming. I had no chance to look at the program, and as the first piece on the concert started, I thought to myself, this is interesting! I'm listening with absolutely no assumptions or references and experiencing the music in the purest possible way. As the music unfolded, it became vividly clear to me that whoever composed this music must have been influenced by the aurora borealis. Why? I have no idea! But I had just returned from a trip to interior Alaska, where I had experienced a tremendous aurora display filling the entire sky. And somehow, I thought, it's preposterous: whoever wrote this music found a way through sound to reflect a completely silent phenomenon. When it was over and the lights came up to re-set the stage, I eagerly rushed in the program book to read about what I'd just heard. Hmmm...the title is "Lichtbogen", German for "arcs of light" and the composer has a name that sounds Finnish. Then I read the program notes -- sure enough, this was exactly what Ms. Saariaho was going for! Since then I've followed her work and never been disappointed.

[@Kolutic4723]

damn what a story

[@MarkErickson-Painter]

Really enjoyed reading that. Rarely does anyone have the opportunity to experience live music in that pure form. The unknown unfolding as you sit and watch and listen. The closest today is watching a viedeo here on YT and discovering someone new like I did awhile back with Kaija Saariaho's work. Today's LA Traffic, know it well, rarely head out on the gray lifeless freeways from Venice unless needed. A trip downtown when something good to see at a museum. So for you, here's to 1988 LA Traffic. Bumper to Bumper and listening to music.

[@piaspe]

RIP Kaija, thank you for everything

[@notaire2]

Wunderschöne und spannende Interpretation dieses modernen und einzigartigen Meisterwerks mit farbenreichen doch etwas außerirdischen Tönen verschiedener Soloinstrumente. Der geniale Dirigent leitet das ausgezeichnete Ensemble im polyrhythmischen Tempo und mit perfekt kontrollierter Dynamik. Einfach wunderbar!

[@lauramolnar8039]

Unsettling in a good way, and still very moving. The huffs in the end made it even more gripping. I imagined the turmoil of a performer (it kind of reminded me of the movie "suspiria", the new version). I've never heard of the composer before but this composition made me go into a deepdive on her work. So far I've liked every one of it.

[@MegaCirse]

This work is at its essence, like a painting painted on an infinite canvas at an ever faster pace but never able to find an end. The listener seeks and must only accept a denouement that brings him as close as possible to an intersection whose outcome is chaotic grandiloquence. A good piece of music though for a long walk through the countryside!

[@Alice_in_Subatomic_Land]

Cogent eloquence indeed, though the last sentence may not be accepted unanimously. I would rather hear it claustrally.

[@DavidA-ps1qr]

You must be talking about a long walk through the Syrian countryside.

[@TheThomrb]

@@DavidA-ps1qr haha

[@Tysknaden]

Thanks for the warning.

[@MegaCirse]

@@DavidA-ps1qr Oui, si vous voulez David ..... ;)

[@JavierRuizGonzalez]

Enormous piece!

[@MrBeethovenfan]

Saariaho is rapidly becoming my favorite 20th / 21st century composer. I have yet to hear any work of hers I haven't instantly loved and I can't even make that claim for Ligeti!

[@louchesimon]

Incroyable, merci

[@reneemainhagu2630]

Quelle belle découverte ! J'y suis entrée progressivement ...et réécouté...

[@gerardbegni2806]

Kaija Saariaho iis a very gifted composer. She has a true sensitivity and studied hard in IRCAM and other places to find her room in the present composer landscape not as an intellectual Person, but as a sensitive composer who can expres her diverse feelings the rough to most modern tools that she may use.All her work is full of interest, but the most convincing exmaples are his operas, and always for the same reason for other composers: you must "stick" to the general atmosphrere, but you must avoid being "stuck to" the text at the most elementary level. Chamber music, as proven here, is a quite challenging genre (for all composer too) and she fully succeededed

[@stueystuey1962]

Yes, your comments about Magnus Lindberg make good sense.

[@gerardbegni2806]

@@stueystuey1962 There is a great difference between Lindbeg and Saariaho. Both have some kind of "nordic" sensitivity, which in fact means less and less due to some 'globalization' of music, but I think that there is still a specific sensitivity of these composers. This being said, KS has lived for long in Paris, closely working with IRCAM and so-called "spectral school", while Lindberg does not seem to be attracted by these new techniques. Each of them has adopted some mens of expression and rejected others - different choices of two composers, who are great composers both. We can just note that KS seems to be more and more known and appreciated by modern music lovers. In addition, if you have occasions to hear some interviews, she looks a very interesting, sensitive, clever(and in addition nice) person.

[@stueystuey1962]

I am reviewing my history for today and though i listened to ks, babbitt, a little krenek, the preponderance of views - and hours - go to my all time favorite composer Elliott Carter, who i had gotten away from recently, but i always go back. What is your take on Dusapin?

[@mankiperukangas7785]

R.I.P. Kaija Saariaho (2nd June 2023)

[@ceciassalini]

Maravilla

[@machida5114]

sodelicious.......................

[@arunaszizys5225]

a child's dream

[@moidermother666]

Don't get me wrong, I'm very grateful for you sharing all of these fascinating composers' works, but I just wonder why they are always in such poor audio quality. Is it to get around copyrighting or something? Thank you!

[@stueystuey1962]

Not sure why folks get so upset at what they don't appreciate. What is up with that. Listen to cardi b wap if you are looking for easy to grasp pop music with pc sensibilities.

[@xyzllii]

Refrain from being such an arrogant male sarcastic knowall., Further, angry AT is incorrect grammar. It is angry WITH. Haha

[@longlifetometal1995]

please don't throw in Cardi B in there, it's not her fault pedant fucks cripple youtube sections (and you'd be surprised how many of them are the usual "real music is from 1750-1900" audience in symphony halls)

[@youregonnaletityeetyouaway2882]

guys do not listen to this while exploring a minecraft cave

[@ilikeplayingffftonecluster851]

lmao this

[@youregonnaletityeetyouaway2882]

@@ilikeplayingffftonecluster851 seen u on eric xi xin liang sorabji recording. what's up

[@ilikeplayingffftonecluster851]

@@youregonnaletityeetyouaway2882 Yo another Eric and Sorbaji fan. Do you have discord?

[@youregonnaletityeetyouaway2882]

@@ilikeplayingffftonecluster851 i do!! :)

[@ilikeplayingffftonecluster851]

@@youregonnaletityeetyouaway2882 Oh I forgot to respond. I am Ghê#9567

[@jaakkooksa5374]

There is an anecdote about one of her works, probably apocryphal but might well be true. The story goes that they had to remove the intermission in one of her concerts because it was too embarrassing to have half of the audience walk out during it.

[@davidarteagamusic5991]

ya hip! :)

[@vatergal]

Muy sugerente.

[@RimmCriolle]

any non-pseudo-intellectual comments here?

[@lotharlamurtra7924]

Beauty

[@stueystuey1962]

Read and decide for yourself bruh. Only you can determine what strikes you as non-pseudo intellectual or its opposite, pseudo-intellectual.

[@joelster7455]

K-Saa's a bloody bonza composer. One of a kind.

[@longlifetometal1995]

Saariaho is making me vibe like no other, it's crazy

[@DavidA-ps1qr]

It's actually a composition of mass irritation. It goes around and around without achieving anything, fluttering aimlessly at it's own exits and entrances. 19 minutes of nothing.

[@wyrmyfuture]

I think you got in right - in a specific sense indeed. I your share your feels. But, on the other, in itsn'nothingness', the composition makes much sense, r if not at least a chance to refect on the nothingness of our brave new world..

[@nicholas72611]

ok boomer

[@zsaccomano4]

My kid got irritated the other day because I refused to give him a lollipop before dinner. We were throwing around a ball in a field and there was a particularly dramatic sunset, but he didn't notice that. He can't "achieve" the high level of glucose saturation from a sunset that the lollipop provides. Ergo we should all stop watching sunsets.

[@DavidA-ps1qr]

@@wyrmyfuture Excellent reply. I'm impressed with your different angle on it. Thank you.

[@DavidA-ps1qr]

@@zsaccomano4 Like Ismo, this is also an excellent analogy. Thank you.

[@karmineka]

a femine piece..