Stockholm Diary (2004)

A boisterous, significant 13-minute score for string orchestra...The string writing is highly virtuosic, and clearly a professional performance is called for.

The "Diary" begins sweetly on a high pitch from the double basses, which is followed by an alluring rising scale and an expressive violin solo thick with double stops. This leads to a lyrical tune from "Wing on Wing" in the violins, and Salonen all but blisses out on it.

The string textures are gorgeous, creamy as Richard Strauss but with enough hints of Sibelian reserve to avoid stickiness.

Salonen's strange harmonies make the music immediately recognizable as his. The strings swirl, sail into the stratosphere utilizing vaporous harmonics and bounce around in pizzicato passages.