April 27: Saariaho, Golijov, Adams, and Higdon

Kaija Saariaho: L’amour de loin: Act IV, Scene 3, Tempete (Storm) [NAWM 216]

• French opera
• begins with male, then chorus, then female, then male to close
• avoids tonality
• spectralist: shimmering sonorities and billowing masses of sound
• “all about color and light”
• emphasis on timbre over pitch as a large-scale structure feature

*

Osvaldo Golijov: La Pasion segun San Marcos: Nos. 24-26 [NAWM 217]

• passion

a) No. 24: Escarnio y Negacion [Scorn and Denial]

• upbeat fast paced samba with lots of percussion
• double chorus, then men and women alternate
• animal noises (rooster)

b) No. 25: Desgarro de la Tunica [Tearing of the Garment]

• arpeggiated piano/guitar ostinato
• begins with brass and “oohs” from chorus until end, very little text and very chordal
• very short

c) No. 26: Lua descolorida (Aria de las lagrimas de Pedro) [Colorless Moon (Aria of Peter’s Tears)}

• very slow
• woman’s voice begins with “oohs” but eventually sings text
• muted strings underneath
• sometimes simple, haunting character of a folk song; other times the vocal flourishes and improvisatory freedom of flamenco singing

*

John Adams: Doctor Atomic: Act I, conclusion, Batter my heart [NAWM 219]

• English opera
• orchestra characterized by rapid, continuous motion, ostinatos, gradual accretion of dissonance, and subtle changes of texture
• agitated effect with irregular syncopations embedded in layers of hemiola (2 over 3)
• lots of brass and percussion in instrumental “interludes;” soft accompaniment under voice such as dissonant strings

*

Jennifer Higdon: blue cathedral: Opening excerpt [NAWM 220]

• orchestral work
• begins with percussion bell sounds: vibes, crotales, celesta
• begins softly, evoking “floating through the sky” kind of images, builds gradually
• flute and clarinet solos, also violin and English horn