On the Secrets of Water

On the Secrets of Water (Festival 20°21, 2025)

Few composers have managed to distil the gentle power of percussion as finely as Kaija Saariaho. On the Secrets of Water is a tribute to this refined Finnish composer, who passed away in 2023. At its heart lies her work Trois Rivières, first performed here in a version for solo percussionist, and then in one for four players. Remarkably, Saariaho employs electronics to render her sound palette even more subtle and mysterious. This is perhaps even more true of the other works in the programme, where flute and soprano each meander with exquisite grace. For many years, BL!NDMAN has cherished and championed Saariaho’s music. In this programme, BL!NDMAN [drums], soprano Griet De Geyter and flautist Jill Jeschek reveal the full spectrum of Saariaho’s musical language.

Secret Gardens (De Bijloke, 2023)

Kaija Saariaho made no secret of how important dreams and poetry are to her musical imagination. In Nymphéa (jardin secret III), she explores the dark depths hidden beneath lovely water lilies with impressive electronics. “Glassy is the day,” she quotes Russian poet Arseni Tarkovsky, “but there must be more.” There is also a poem behind Trois rivières, which she weaves through the percussion. And then there is Lonh (‘far away’ in Provençal), after a medieval love story. The concert Verborgen Tuinen (Hidden Gardens) is an enchanting ode to this recently deceased composer.