Study for Life
by Kaija Saariaho
Description
Study for Life is a twine of glass and white light twisted together. It sometimes becomes entangled around the stem — the vocal part — sometimes pushes out new shoots, which prevent seeing the stem. Light is silent glass, a living image with the paremetre of time; scratching glass, tinkling, breaking of glass are sounds of light.
“I could not
Speak, and my eyes failed, I was neither
Living nor dead, and I knew nothing,
Looking into the heart of light, the silence.
...”
© Kaija Saariaho, 1981
(for the premiere of the work, February 10, 1981)
Study for Life on lasista ja valkoisesta valosta punottu köynnös, joka vuoroin kietoutuu varren, lauluosuuden, vuoroin versoo uusia, omia haarojaan, joiden lehdet peittävät varren. Valo on mykkää lasia, elävä aika parametrin omaava kuva; lasin raapiminen, helinä, särkyminen ovat valon ääntä.
”...en voinut
puhua ja silmäni pettivät, en ollut
elossa, en kuollut, en tiennyt mistään,
katsoin vain valon sydämeen, hiljaisuuteen.
...”
© Kaija Saariaho, 1981
(teoksen kantaesitykseen 10.2.1981)
Study for Life, illustration d'un extrait du poème The Hollow Men de T.S. Eliot, associe voix de femme, bande, lumières, ainsi que les gestes d'une chanteuse et ceux d'un danseur optionnel (la choréographie fut signée par Pieta Koskenniemi). Pour Kaija Saariaho, il s'agissait du premier essai d'écriture pour un spectacle, et le compositeur écrit, lors de la création: « La lumière, c'est du verre silencieux, une image vivante avec le paramètre temps; le crissement du verre, le tintement, le son du verre qui se brise sont des sons de la lumière. »
© Risto Nieminen, 1994
© Ircam - Centre Georges-Pompidou, 1994
(From Kaija Saariaho, Ircam 1995)
Instrumentation female voc, tape [Valo.]
Instrument codes
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 |
Coding for instrument ensembles and orchestras
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 |
Category Vocal and Choral Works
Language En
Lyricist Eliot T.S. (san.)
Premiere
Marjatta Airas, Helsinki, February 10, 1981.
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