Born in 1952, Kaija Saariaho’s
www.saariaho.org is now one of Finland’s finest composers with
a long list of fine compositions behind her. Many of her orchestral works are
available from Ondine www.ondine.net (ODE 1113-2Q) in a four disc set which is
really worthwhile acquiring.
Ondine www.ondine.net are not neglecting Saariaho’s chamber and instrumental works with Chamber Works for Strings Volume I
appearing in 2013. Now from Ondine comes a new disc featuring the accomplished
flautist, Camilla Hoitenga www.hoitenga.org
in works for flute and a variety of
instruments entitled Let the wind speak.
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| ODE 1276-2 |
Camilla Hoitenga is joined on this new release by cellist
Anssi Karttunen www.karttunen.org baritone Daniel Belcher www.danielbelcherbaritone.com harpist Heloise Dautry http://heloisedautry.com and members of Da
Camera Houston www.dacamera.com , Paul
Ellison (double bass), Bridget Kibbey (harp) and Matthew Strauss (percussions).
Tocar (2010) was
originally commissioned by the International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition
as a work for violin and piano. Here it is given in the composer’s version for
flute and harp with flautist, Camilla Hoitenga bringing a really lovely melody
decorated by little drooping phrases. The harp of Héloïse Dautry joins, adding
a subtle rhythmic pulse. Hoitenga has a fine tone right across the range with Dautry
adding a fluent, nicely judged contribution as they both move through some
fluent faster passages. There are some fine
subtle, gentle moments before the return of the gentle drooping phrases toward
the coda. This is a beautiful work that will appeal to many.
Mirrors (1997) for
flute and cello was written for a CD Rom Prisma dedicated to Saariaho’s music
where the user can build and play his own versions of the piece. On this
recording there are three versions the first of which, Mirrors I, is the composer’s original score. Camilla Hoitenga is joined by cellist, Anssi
Karttunen to draw some wonderful textures and timbres as this work slowly opens,
this flautist providing some lovely subtleties from the textures aided
tremendously by this fine cellist. It is lovely the way the music finds a
momentum in little surges or pulses of sound.
Couleurs du vent
(1998) for alto flute is an improvisation on material from Cendres for alto
flute, cello and piano (1998). It opens as though the wind is rushing through the
landscape with Hoitenga bringing occasional speech like sounds through her
instrument around which the wind rushes. Soon a lovely theme weaves its way
forward, creating a lovely combination of sound. The music progresses through
passages that suddenly move quickly forward as well as the most gentle, hushed
moments. As the wind sounds return to surround the melody there is the most
brilliant playing from Hoitenga and later those lovely drooping phrases appear
before the music dies away.
Sombre (2012) for
baritone, bass flute, harp, double bass and percussion was written for Da
Camera of Houston for performance in the Rothko Chapel, its dark
instrumentation corresponding to the paintings in the chapel. Fragments of Ezra
Pound’s last Cantos seemed to the composer to suit the piece perfectly.
With Canto CXVIII the
flute quietly rises out of the gentle sound of cymbals, slowly developing and
bringing a variety of textures and vocal flute sounds. Camilla Hoitenga reveals some exquisite
textures, sensitively accompanied by percussionist Matthew Strauss. A little
rhythmic motif appears before double bassist, Paul Ellison and harpist, Bridget
Kibbey enter bringing a deeper sonority and more fine textures. When baritone,
Daniel Belcher enters he brings much expression, often complimenting the
textures. He occasionally reaches high before whispering the later part of the
text as the hushed coda arrives.
Flute and percussion gently open Canto CXX as the double bass brings deep, almost groaning textures.
Soon the baritone enters wordlessly weaving around and within the instrumental
texture. Saariaho creates some remarkable textures and colours from this
strange blend of instruments and voice. Later Belcher adds a more anxious
texture, rising in dynamics. These performers bring a wonderfully balanced
texture, each adding to the finely conceived sound world. When the baritone commences the words ‘I have
tried to write Paradise…’ harp, flute, double bass and percussion weave around
often bringing a sudden rhythmic nature. There is a section for baritone with
pizzicato double bass and harp before a longer breathed line ‘Let the Gods forgive
what I have made…’ after which the instrumentalists slowly and gently take the
music forward to the exquisitely hushed coda.
Flautist Camilla Hoitenga brings some lovely textures,
coloured and pointed up by percussion in the opening of Fragment (1966) before slowly and subtly double bass and harp add
to the texture and sonority. Baritone,
Daniel Belcher intones a repeated ‘Olga’s acts’ before moving through the text ‘…of
beauty to be remembered…’ with varying expression and passion, all the time the
instrumentalists winding around him some terrific sounds before the music
slowly finds the hushed coda. This is wonderfully nuanced performance full of
deep emotion.
With Dolce tormento
(2004) for piccolo, Camilla Hoitenga breathes a wind sonority as she also recites
the words of a text by Francesco Petrach (1304-1374) before bringing a
brilliantly played theme. The text continues to be gently recited around which Hoitenga
plays an often soaring melody. She moves through some wonderfully fluent passages
bringing a clarity and brilliance. It is impressive how this flautist speaks as
she elicits soft breathed phrases from her instrument.
For Mirrors: III (1997)
for flute and cello cellist, Anssi Karttunen returns to join Camilla Hoitenga bringing
a deep phrase that quickly rises as the flute adds to the texture. Both weave a
very fine theme that moves forward in surges, little rhythmic patterns, picking
up a pace in more dynamic surges before a gentler coda.
Originally written for bass clarinet and cello, Oi kuu (for a moon) (1990) it is heard
here in its version for bass flute and cello. It was written for and is dedicated to Kari
Kriikku and Anssi Karttunen. Flute and cello bring a gently pulsating motif out
of which a little flute theme appears. Both Hoitenga and Karttunen generate
some spectacularly fine colours and textures as the piece develops. It moves through
both rhythmic and melodic moments with this cellist bringing some exquisite
sounds around which the flautist adds superb sonorities. Later sudden, fast,
light bowed phrases appear with fine flute textures before fading in the coda.
Camilla Hoitenga opens Laconisme
de l'aile (1982) with gently and slowly recited text by Saint-John Perse
(1887-1975) beautifully expressed with great sensitivity. The flute appears in
a rising motif which is then developed with little ‘ticking’ sounds around which
a lovely melody flows. There are many fine textures produced with the music
rising in dynamics and tempi at times. Hoitenga
provides some beautifully controlled playing, revealing all of Saariaho’s ear
for colour and texture. There some amazingly fast textures produced and, later
further softly recited text before the flute weaves its way forward through
some exceptionally long held phrases achieving some beautifully delicate sounds
in the coda that sound almost like an echo.
Flute and cello launch into some fast and furious phrases as Mirrors: II (1997) opens before moving
through gentler passages with little vocal phrases woven into the texture. The music
finds little surges as it weaves its way to the sudden rapid coda.
Camilla Hoitenga is a first class flautist bringing some
remarkable skill and sensitivity to all of these works as do the excellent
instrumentalists that join her.
These works that always have a melodic base are occasionally
challenging but always very beautiful. Indeed, there is some glorious music
here, particularly Tocar and Laconisme de l'aile. The recordings are excellent. The booklet
notes take the form of an interesting interview with Camilla Hoitenga. Full texts are supplied.
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