In this thesis, I explored Kaija Saariaho’s Aure from the perspective of a

violist, focusing on both the technical learning process and the interpretive

decisions made with violinist Maria Ikonen. Based on that, I started to study

the piece with my friend and delved into how we as a duo should interpret

the piece. My observations are as follows.

Kaija Saariaho’s music is known for its sensitivity to color, texture, and

emotional depth. This duet was composed as a tribute to Henri Dutilleux

and was inspired by his piece Les Ombres du Temps. Saariaho’s title Aure,

referring to breeze, breath and air, is very audible and palpable. The piece

reflects her characteristic precision in notation, while still allowing space for

performers’ own interpretation.

In Aure, there are many technical challenges, such as Saariaho’s “signature”

harmonic trills, left-hand pizzicato, and continuously travelling between sul

ponticello and sul tasto. First practice sessions involved breaking the piece

into sections, focusing on rhythm, coordination, and gradually integrating

expressive markings. Listening to earlier recordings and working closely

with the score allowed us to shape an interpretation that felt natural to us.

Interviews with Atte Kilpeläinen and Anssi Karttunen, both of whom had

worked with Saariaho, highlighted that while her notation is precise, she

encouraged performers to trust their intuition and remain flexible. The final

result was a performance shaped by both analytical insight and intuitive

expression—an interpretation that felt personal and authentic to us. As both

interviewees emphasized, if our interpretation felt right to us, Saariaho

would have accepted it.