Joanna Gutowska

Saariaho: Petals
Saariaho: Spins and spells
Saariaho: Près
Saariaho: Sept Papillons
Saariaho: Neiges

On this album, we present a number of works by Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho (b. 1952), living and creating in Paris. She is one of the most appreciated contemporary artists, exploring sound spaces in search of a new musical language.

Instead of traditional harmonic or melodic solutions, the composer focuses primarily on the sound itself and its qualities colour, strength, dynamics. She operates with wide and static sound planes, soft, sharp and rough sounds, whose function is to provide the piece with a structure. The cello becomes a vehicle that takes listeners to intimate spaces, closely related to nature, to which the titles of individual compositions refer. This instrument (sometimes also supported by electronics) contains a real cosmos of meditative sounds.

The only performer of all the compositions presented on the album is Joanna Gutowska, a Polish cellist residing in London. The artist has been performing since the age of 12, co-operating with the best orchestras in the world and performing at prestigious festivals. Her interests include various genres and musical styles; she is also keen on exploring contemporary music. She devoted her doctoral thesis to the work of Kaija Saariaho.