There are three late works by Kaija Saariaho on the disk.  Indeed I think the orchestration of the Saarikoski Songs is pretty much the last  music she wrote. Those songs are settings of rather depressing texts about environmental destruction by Finnish poet Pentti Saarikoski and were written originally for voice and piano between 2013 and 2020; an orchestral version being created in 2020/1.  There are five songs.  “LLuonnon kasvot” (The Face of Nature) is the story of the destruction of ancient forests told by the voices of extinct birds.  There’s a lot of high vocalise; almost screaming with quite dramatic orchestration.  “Jokaisella on tämänsä” (Everyone will have their own this) depicts a society where everyone holds to their own truth.  It’s dramatic, high and, again, almost screaming against shimmering orchestration.  “Kaikki tämä” (All of this) – is a brooding and much more lyrical piece offering some hope amid environmental destruction.  “Lintu ja käärme” (Snake and bird) is pretty weird with declamatory vocals over an orchestra hammering on A.  “Sumun läpi” (Through the Mist) has interstitial time petrifying into mountains of mist.  There’s a long brooding orchestral introduction prefacing a lyrical vocal line.  The last two songs were composed during COVID and seem to reflect the spirit of the times.  The performance is by Anu Komsi (soprano) with the BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sakari Aramo and it’s a live recording.

Vista is a 2019 orchestral piece inspired by a drive down the southern Californian coast.  It’s in two movements.  “Horizons” leans heavily on woodwinds and brass with no keyboards and minimal strings.  It’s very atmospheric; echoing the ocean views from the highway.  “Targets” is much louder, faster and somewhat abrasive with lots of percussion.   It starts quite wild but goes quieter and more contemplative in the middle.  All in all, this is not typical Saariaho though it does to some extent hark back to the music she wrote in her pre-electronics phase.

Three Preludes sets extracts from scripture for soprano (again Anu Komsi) and organ (Marzi Nyman).  The first sets an extract from Psalm 104; ”you are clothed in brightness and majesty” The second sets lines from Psalm 39; “Men are but a vain breeze, as firm as they stand” and Psalm 90 “You carry them away as with a flood”.  The third takes its text from Isaiah “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good tidings”.  Musically they are pretty similar with a slow organ part that builds in layers coupled to simply set text.  The performances are pretty impressive.  

All three works are world premiere recordings and were made in 2026.  The 96kHz/24bit lossless digital version that I listened to is detailed and clear with wide dynamic range and really does the music justice.  It’s also available as CD quality lossless, physical CD and MP3.  The booklet contains excellent notes, the Finnish texts and English translations.

Release date is September 4th 2026.

Catalogue information: Ondine ODE15122