Antti Auvinen：Melt Elegy

Little Giant Chinese Chamber Orchestra / Chih-Sheng Chen / National Recital Hall, Taipei, Taiwan 2018.5.12.

Auvinen’s inspiration for “Melt Elegy” comes from the early days of spring in Finland’s countryside. As the weather starts to warm, the sun begins to melt the snow on the ground and the ice that covers the lakes. The melting causes the ice to crack and shift, creating fascinating sounds that are at times incredibly loud or barely audible. At the early stage of melting, one can walk on the frozen lake and hear these eerie sounds with its rich echoes. While there is the fear of breaking through the ice, it is nevertheless tempting to hear this strange music that comes alive as the temperature rises. Nature’s music exhibits some sorrowful qualities, but it also captures the joyful memories of the beautiful ice crystals as they disappear.

The melting process can reveal surprises that are hidden below the snow and ice. Antti Auvinen’s music often has elements of surprise and strong contrasts. In “Melt Elegy”, Auvinen uses a computer and sampler software to process and manipulate an old recording from 1904-1905 Paris. This modified recording, with the LGCCO musicians, create a very interesting and beautiful musical texture, where the past meets the present.

(Edit: Patty Chan)