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Près for solo cello and electronics emerged at the same time as Amers, a concerto for cello and chamber orchestra. The musical material in the two works is to a large extent the same, but it is used in very different ways, and in terms of form and dramatic structure the pieces are strikingly different. The only identical elements are certain passages for the solo instrument and a few of he electronic materials. Both works were produced at Ircam, and a few of the electronic component is very important in each case; in Près the electronics continue and expand the musical gesture of the solo instrument in many different directions.Près is in three movements. The first movement concentrates on a rather linear texture in which the cello part is sometimes fused with the synthetic sounds. This material is based on recordings which I made with Anssi Karttunen and have subsequently either analyzed and used as the starting point for the work’s harmony and sound synthesis, or transformed in various ways. The synthetic element is realised using resonant filters that also operate in real time in the later movements, where the cello sound is modified on a music workstation developed at Ircam.As a whole the electronic element consists of synthetic sounds, modified cello sounds stored in the computer, and real-time sound processing. This latter element has made use of resonating filters and different types of delay, space-filtering, and transposing techniques. The programming work was realized by Xavier Chabot and Jean-Baptiste Barrière at Ircam.The title of the work links to its sister-work (Amers, a nautical term for a leading marks or landmarks), and also to Paul Gaugin’s painting By the Sea; and hence to the experience of the sea itself and waves, their different rhythms and sounds, stormy weather and calms. In other words: material, wave shapes, rhythmic figures, timbres. The charging up of the music and the ultimate release of that charge.Près is dedicated to Anssi Karttunen, with whose collaboration I completed the piece, and who gave the first performance in Strasbourg on 11th November 1992.© Kaija Saariaho(Chester Music Ltd.)Près soolosellolle ja elektroniikalle on kolmiosainen. Ensimmäinen osa keskittyy melko lineaariseen tekstuuriin, jossa sellon ääni paikoin sulautuu synteettisiin ääniin. Tämä materiaali perustuu äänityksiin, jotka olen tehnyt Anssi Karttusen kanssa ja sitten joko analysoinut ja käyttänyt lähtökohdaksi teoksen harmoniaan ja äänisynteesiin tai muokannut eri tavoin.Nimi viittaa sisarteokseen (Amers – Merimerkkejä) sekä Paul Gauguinin maalaukseen Meren äärellä ja näin kokemukseen merestä, aalloista, niiden erilaisista rytmeistä ja kohinoista, myrskystä ja tyyneydestä. Eli: materiaali, kaarros, rytmiset hahmot, sointivärit. Musiikin latautuminen ja latauksen purkautuminen.Près on omistettu Anssi Karttuselle, jonka kanssa yhteistyössä se on syntynyt ja joka kantaesitti sen Strasbourgissa 11. Marraskuuta 1992.© Kaija SaariahoPrès, dont le titre est une nouvelle fois emprunté à Saint-John Perse, est dérivé d'Amers, comme Petals l'était de Nymphéa. La pièce est scindée en trois mouvements et la majeure partie du matériau provient d'Amers. Comme Petals et Amers, Près est dédiée à Anssi Karttunen.© Risto Nieminen, 1994© Ircam - Centre Georges-Pompidou, 1994(From Kaija Saariaho, Ircam 1995)

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Movements

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Abbreviation	Instrument
Woodwind
acl	alto clarinet
afl	alto flute
arec	alto recorder
asax	alto saxophone
barsax	baritone saxophone
barhn	baritone horn
bcl	bass clarinet
bfl	bass flute
bob	bass oboe
bsax	bass saxophone
bsn	bassoon
cbsn	contrabassoon
cl	clarinet
ehn	English horn
fl	flute
hn	French horn
ob	oboe
pic	piccolo
rec	recorder
sax	saxophone
srec	soprano recorder
ssax	soprano saxophone
trec	tenor recorder
tsax	tenor saxophone
Brass
ahn	alto horn
atrb	altotrombone
barhn	baritone horn
btrb	bass trombone
cornet	cornet
euph	euphonium
fhn	flugelhorn
hn	French horn
tba	tuuba
thn	tenor horn
trb	trombone
trp	trumpet
Percussion
dr	drums
glock	glockenspiel
mar	marimba
perc	percussion
timp	timpani
vibr	vibraphone
xyl	xylophone
Strings
db	double bass
gamba	viola da gamba
str	strings
vla	viola
vlc	cello
vln	violin
Other
acc	accordion
cel	celesta
cemb	harpsichord
chords	chords
elbas	electric bass
elg	electric guitar
elorg	electric organ
elpno	electric piano
guit	guitar
harm	harmonium
hca	harmonica
hp	harp
instr	instrument
kantele	kantele
keyb	keyboard
live electr	live electronics
mand	mandolin
mel	melody
org	organ
pno	piano
synth	synthesizer
tape	tape
Vocal
alto	alto
baryt	baritone
basso	bass voice
ch	choir
chc	childrens choir
chf	female choir
chm	male choir
chx	mixed choir
cten	countertenor
mezzo	mezzo-soprano
sopr	soprano
speaker	speaker
ten	tenor
voc	vocal

Symphony orchestra
2222 4331 11 1, str = 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 French horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, one other percussionist, harp and strings
Wind band
2252 3 423 21212 3 = 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 5 clarinets, 2 bassoons - 3 saxophones - 4 French horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones - 2 cornets, alto horn, 2 tenor horns, baritone horn, 2 tubas - 3 percussionists
Big band
221 4 4, pno, guit, db, dr = 2 alto saxophones, 2 tenor saxophones, baritone saxophone, 4 trumpets, 4 trombones, piano, guitar, double bass, drums
Additional codes
+	fl+pic = flutist doubles on piccolo
/	pno/org = can be played on either piano or organ
lib	ad libitum
obl	obligato
str	str: 65432 = specified number of string players
str min	str min: 65432 = at least 65432
str max	str max: 65432 = not more than 65432
solo	vln solo = violin is the solo instrument in a work not obviously for solo violin