Light and Shadow in Kaija Saariaho's Maan Varjot
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Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports 2020 Light and Shadow in Kaija Saariaho's Maan Varjot Benjamin M. Cornelius-Bates [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd Part of the Composition Commons, and the Music Theory Commons Recommended Citation Cornelius-Bates, Benjamin M., "Light and Shadow in Kaija Saariaho's Maan Varjot" (2020). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 7980. https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/7980 This Dissertation is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been brought to you by the The Research Repository @ WVU with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this Dissertation in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you must obtain permission from the rights-holder(s) directly, unless additional rights are indicated by a Creative Commons license in the record and/ or on the work itself. This Dissertation has been accepted for inclusion in WVU Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports collection by an authorized administrator of The Research Repository @ WVU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports 2020 Light and Shadow in Kaija Saariaho's Maan Varjot Benjamin M. Cornelius-Bates Follow this and additional works at: https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd Part of the Composition Commons, and the Music Theory Commons Light and Shadow in Kaija Saariaho’s Maan Varjot Benjamin Cornelius-Bates Research Document submitted to the School of Music at West Virginia University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts in Music Composition David Taddie, Ph.D., chair Matthew Heap, Ph.D., research advisor Lynn Hileman, D.M.A. Travis Stimeling, Ph.D. Beth Royall, M.M., M.LIS. Morgantown, West Virginia 2020 Keywords: Kaija Saariaho, Maan Varjot Copyright 2020 Benjamin Cornelius-Bates ABSTRACT Light and Shadow in Kaija Saariaho’s Maan Varjot Benjamin Cornelius-Bates Kaija Saariaho’s work Maan Varjot is a relatively new addition to a set of repertoire that includes the organ as a part of the orchestra. This commission from the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, Orchestre National de Lyon, Southbank Centre, and the Philharmonia Orchestra, was premiered in 2014 and features the organ as a timbral enhancement and contrast to the orchestra. The 52nd Stanza from the poem Adonais, written by Percy Shelley and dedicated to John Keats, provide an important insight into the analysis and interpretation of the work. Two lines in particular are important: “The One remains, the many change and pass/Heaven's light forever shines, Earth's shadows fly.” These lines imply two interacting elements, similar to how the organ and orchestra are orchestrated in conjunction and opposition to one another in Maan Varjot. This paper seeks to show how Saariaho manipulates the musical possibilities of the instruments, particularly those of the organ, in contrast and complement to the orchestra through the lens of the Shelley poem. Table of Contents Chapters I. Introduction to Maan Varjot and Kaija Saariaho ............................................................ 1 i. Statement of Topic .................................................................................................. 5 ii. Review of the Literature ........................................................................................ 5 II. Setting the Scope: The Building Blocks and Limitations of Analyzing Maan Varjot Saariaho ............................................................................................................................. 10 i. Adonais ................................................................................................................. 11 ii. The Opening Chord ............................................................................................... 13 iii. The Organ Registration ......................................................................................... 20 iv. Premiere Recording .............................................................................................. 25 III. Analysis ....................................................................................................................... 27 i. Part 1: “Earth’s Shadows” .................................................................................... 27 1. The Poem ......................................................................................................... 27 2. Elaboration of Chord 1 ..................................................................................... 32 3. Pitch Organization ........................................................................................... 36 4. Background Material ....................................................................................... 37 ii. Part 2: “Dome” ...................................................................................................... 40 1. The Poem ......................................................................................................... 40 2. The Chorale ...................................................................................................... 41 3. Chord 2 ............................................................................................................. 45 4. Descent Figure ................................................................................................. 48 5. The Dome ......................................................................................................... 50 iii. Part 3: “Flowers, ruins, statues” ............................................................................ 56 1. Toccata Figure ................................................................................................. 56 2. Contrasting Motifs ........................................................................................... 60 3. Three Chord Figure .......................................................................................... 62 4. Three Words from the Poem ............................................................................ 63 IV. Conclusion .................................................................................................................. 75 V. Appendix 1 ................................................................................................................... 78 VI. Appendix 2 .................................................................................................................. 97 VII. Bibliography ............................................................................................................ 104 i ii List of Charts and Musical Quotes Example 1 - The Opening Chord (which will be called Chord 1) .................................... 14 Example 2 - Symmetry in Maan Varjot as a Whole ......................................................... 17 Example 3 - Forms of sets [0,1,x] created from Chord 1 ................................................. 20 Example 4 - Total possible pitches based on the notation and organ registration ............ 24 Example 5 - Perceptible pitches of Chord 1 ..................................................................... 25 Example 6 - Foreground and background/light and shadow in “Earth’s Shadows” ......... 28 Example 7 - Formal overview of “Earth’s Shadows” ....................................................... 30 Example 8 - Various foreground motifs found in the B sections of “Earth’s Shadows” .. 32 Example 9 - Perceivable pitches in the Elaboration Chord .............................................. 33 Example 10 - The regularity of the Elaboration Chord pitch material in section A ......... 34 Example 11 - General bass movement through “Earth’s Shadows” ................................. 36 Example 12 - B’ background material in the organ solo part ........................................... 39 Example 13 - “Ein feste Burg,” chorale written by Martin Luther ................................... 42 Example 14 - Organ solo part, mm 1-3 ............................................................................. 43 Example 15 - Organ solo part. m 9 ................................................................................... 44 Example 16 - Organ solo part, mm 22-23 ......................................................................... 45 Example 17 - Written and sounding pitches of Chord 2 ................................................... 46 Example 18 - Perceivable pitches of Chord 2 ................................................................... 47 Example 19 - Descent Figure, mm 42-44 ......................................................................... 49 Example 20 - Detailed overview of “Dome” .................................................................... 52 Example 21 - Ascent and descent in “Dome” ................................................................... 53 Example 22 - “Earth’s Shadows,” Organ solo part: mm 82-32 ........................................ 53 Example 23 - “Dome,” organ and low brass, mm 39-41 .................................................. 54 Example 24 - Charles Marie Widor’s Toccata from Fifth Organ Symphony ................... 57 Example 25 - Eugène Gigout’s Toccata from 10 Pièces pour orgue ................................ 57 Example 26 - Charles Tournemire’s Toccata from his Suite de morceaux .....................