Spatiality as creativity in the music of Kaija Saariaho: A reflection with a focus on 'Lichtbogen'

Abstract

In this article Saariaho's music - with a focus on Lichtbogenis explored from the perspective of spatiality. First, Saariaho's connection with Finland is discussed and in particular how Finnish space and time have influenced her music.Together with space, there is the relation between time and light. In fact, the creative process by Saariaho is strongly influenced by visual experiences. The title of Lichtbogen refers to the Nordic lights, and therefore it is an interesting example. In her article on similarities between architecture and music, Saariaho defines with great clarity her music: "Capturing time and giving it form." In this phrase she connects the aspect of time and space with musical form. Understanding how Saariaho'sconception of musical form brings the concept of a multidimensional network to the discussion. Saariaho developed this concept for Verblendungen, and the same principle has been used for an analysis of Lichtbogen. This analysis is not a score analysis, instead, it is based on the listening experience of several recordings. As Saariaho is concerned with the perception of her music, a listening-based graphic analysis is proposed based on listening. It captures an illuminating perspective on the form of Lichtbogen. Given the importance of timbre in Saariaho's music, and the way how timbre and form are connected, the question of her relation with spectral music is unavoidable. Saariaho lived in Paris during the '80s, when early spectralism made important developments. And her music is indeed deeply influenced by the spectral approach in many ways. However, there are differences, especially regarding her attitude towards musical form. Finally the discussion about space is taken to the perspective of electronics and how they contribute to the expression of space. In Lichtbogen, the amplification is used to make those sounds on the threshold of audibility audible, and the reverb is used to create virtual spaces. The concept of space is integrated in the composition itself. In conclusion, the concept of space is central to Saariaho's creativity. This connection is approached in this article from various perspectives.It illustrates how important the space is, in connection with time and light, in Saariaho'scompositional work.