Tension and the Cello — Kaija Saariaho’s Petals

Amazing Moments in TimbreEssays
Written By Sheanna Wirasinghe
DOI

Abstract: Kaija Saariaho’s Petals, 1988, transforms the cello into a diverse tool capable of creating countless varying sounds. Her organization of sounds produces two distinct timbral profiles that alter throughout the work, governing its two-part structure. Different music variables, including temporal perception, sound characteristics, density, and attack, are employed by each profile to construct several binaries that either produce a state of tension or relaxation. The superimposition of profiles towards the end of Petals begets the work’s climax by maximizing tension. Saariaho therefore develops a narrative that explores opposing approaches to the creation and dissolution of tension through timbre.

Keywords: Timbre, Form, Tension, Binaries, Kaija Saariaho, Petals, Nymphéa

Introduction

Like the shattering of a glass, Kaija Saariaho fragments a single instrument into countless distinct timbres, allowing her to construct a dichotomous musical narrative. Composed in 1988, Petals is a solo cello work (with optional amplification and signal processing) derived from musical ideas originally presented in her string quartet Nymphéa (1987). Nymphéa translates to “Water Lily,” therefore making Petals a felicitous title considering the work’s solo instrumentation, condensed structure, and reduced length.

Although the cello itself can be classified within its own timbral profile (Reymore, 2022), Saariaho utilizes extended techniques to produce an extensive variety of sounds. Her use of the  Estremamente Flautando (EF) marking, for example, transforms the cello into what sounds like a high-pitched flute, heard in audio example 1. Saariaho’s organization of these sounds produces a binary of two contrasting timbral profiles that form the basis for the work’s two-part structure. Each timbral profile relies on a set of musical parameters to produce a state of tension that governs the work’s narrative. Tension is maximized when both timbral profiles overlap in the climax, displaying the work’s multifaceted approach to tension using a diverse timbral palette.

Binaries

A sonic dichotomy manifests throughout this work. According to Saariaho’s program notes:

“The opposite elements here are fragile coloristic passages which give birth to more energetic events with clear rhythmic and melodic character… In bringing together these very opposite modes of expressions I aimed to force the interpreter to stretch his sensibility” (Saariaho, n.d).

 Petals therefore unfolds as an alteration between two sound worlds, consisting of contrasting passages I label as either belonging to timbral profile 1 (TP1) or 2 (TP2). The first timbral profile is exemplified through the beginning of the work, from 0:00 – 1:00 (audio example 2). These passages are always marked lento and express a smooth and subdued character. The passages that characterize TP2, exemplified through 1:00 – 1:24 (audio example 3), are faster, louder, and rhythmically driven with clear, pulsing notes and microtonal inflections. Shown in figure 1, spectrograms of the two passage types demonstrate their contrasting sound worlds. The lento, TP1 in figure 1a comprises horizontal, blurry lines mainly concentrated in the lower frequency range  (~5000Hz and under). By contrast, figure 1b models TP2; the sharper, vertical lines are comparably more intense in color and have a broader frequency range.

 

  Fig. 1. Spectrograms of the two timbral profiles in Petals

 

The opposing extremes presented in figure 1 alternate throughout the piece, producing a back-and-forth dialogue that creates an ABABABA form (see table 1), whereby A represents TP1 and B represents TP2. This structural narrative aligns with the altering pattern between relative (always lento) and precise tempo markings. The resulting constant timbral binary contributes to a multifaceted state of tension, as described below. 

 

Table 1. Form of Petals

 

Tension

Tension in music is a complex concept lacking an exact, unanimous definition. It has been informally described as a feeling of rising intensity or climax, whereas a decrease in tension corresponds to a feeling of relaxation or resolution (Farbood, 2012). Regarding a sense of expectation, Roni Y. Granot and Zohar Eitan (2011) list musical events considered as unstable or incomplete as promoters of tension and events considered stable and complete as indicators of relaxation. They furthermore recognize tension as encompassing an increase in intensity through levels of musical activity. Tension can therefore be regarded in an inverse relationship with relaxation, caused by a sense of anticipation or disequilibrium. Musical variables, such as temporal perception (sense of tempo), sound characteristics, spectral density, and a sound’s attack, produce suspense, destabilize a music segment, and populate the sonic space. Attack refers to the onset of a sound and spectral density relates to how much space the sound or sounds take up. The former concerns the spectral-temporal features of the beginning portion of a given sound, while the latter concerns its spectral distribution and bandwidth (this is depicted in a spectrogram by the area of red—see below). The binaries within the musical variables, detailed in table 2, function to create a balanced duality by using the same variable categories to create or remove a state of tension. While the two timbral profiles are not mutually exclusive, they identify themselves by predominantly including characteristics belonging to one profile.

 

Table 2. Binaries present in the two timbral profiles

 

Passages in TP1 generally create tension using noisier, obscure sounds that contribute to a denser timbral profile, indicative by the blurry red lines and unclear gaps in figure 1a. In opposition, passages belonging to TP2 have clearer sound characteristics that are sparser in texture and relax tension. TP2 builds tension using extensive dynamics and short note values that simulate a higher perceived tempo and create harsher attacks. TP1 maintains a steadier sense of time and softer attacks to relax tension. Table 3 depicts the various mechanisms observed in the A and B sections that support a musical variable belonging to either TP1 or TP2.

 

Table 3. Sound shapes and articulations in TP1 and TP2

 

Moment of Highest Tension

Moments of tension further arise when attributes specific to one timbral profile are included in a passage primarily belonging to the other timbral profile. Section B3 , notated in red in table 1, is particularly unique because it displays the highest level of interaction between the timbral profiles by incorporating sound characteristics and articulations belonging to both profiles. This challenges the passage’s belonging in the B group, enabling it to maximize tension and embody the climax of the piece.

 Figure 2 depicts the motive that B3 presents (audio example 4) and subsequently varies. The motive glues together the TP2 aspect of short note values with the TP1 aspect of long note values, creating a shifting sense of tempo. Likewise, Saariaho pairs each note value part with a sound characteristic belonging to the other timbral profile through dynamic markings.

 

Fig 2. Motive of Section B3; TP1: Half-note value and ‘mp’ marking; TP2: 32nd  notes and ‘mf’ marking

 

Figure 3 presents a spectrogram of B3 (4:33 – 6:37, audio example 5) with white arrows indicating some of the sixteen instances of motivic repetition. Within the passage, Saariaho develops an overlapping dialogue between timbral profiles, by which TP1 gradually gains prominence while technically being in a TP2 passage.

 

Fig. 3. Spectrogram of section B3; 4:33 – 6:37

 

Many TP2 characteristics, including accents, pizzicato markings, and ascending figures are juxtaposed with TP1 attributes such as glissandi, tremolos, and long drone notes. The sharp 16th and 32nd note-attacks convey a distressed feeling, further magnified with ascending figures producing a sense of expectation and instability.  While the ritardando marking and quieter dynamics exemplify a method of releasing tension by promoting stasis, it is repeatedly interrupted by a return of tempo and TP2 characteristics, maximizing tension between the two profiles.

Specific TP1 characteristics have a shifting role that brings the first timbral profile to the forefront. Bow pressure, for example, is frequently added throughout this passage, thereby transforming the timbres heard by adding overtones and crowding the musical space, obscuring the pitched sound. The scratchy sound resulting gives an impression of increased timbral activity by saturating the music space with noise. This TP1 technique of creating tension is initially played during the second half of the motive (the long note value section) but is slowly added to the beginning of the motive as the passage progresses. The third and fourth arrows outline two of five instances where bow pressure is added in this manner, the intense red shade illustrating an increase in timbral density during moments of high rhythmic activity. As the bow pressure markings become superimposed on the ascending figures and accented notes, Saariaho maximizes tension by combining the two timbral profiles. From 6:13 to the end of B3, most of the articulations belong to TP1 musical variables used to decrease tension, signaling the end of the piece, and leading into the final section.

Overall, Petals highlights Saariaho’s innovative compositional process in manipulating material derived from cello sounds to create a timbrally diverse and sonically rich work. She utilizes timbre as a structuring principle to enrich the composition with numerous polarities, creating an effective musical narrative that showcases the diversity of the cello.

References

Sheanna Wirasinghe
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