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Dagen svalnar... is not so much a choral work as a sort of choral Lied for contralto soloist and mixed choir. The choir has an accompanying role throughout. I came across this text by Edith Södergran quite by chance, and it began generating music all by itself; this is rare for me, and even more significant considering that I had not written any music for nearly four years previously, because I felt I had nothing to say.The text is a contemplation, more in sorrow than in anger, of a relationship gone tragically wrong. The music approaches the text through Impressionistic sonority rather than grand Romantic gestures. The work is technically challenging and contains demanding harmonies. The range of the contralto solo - over two octaves - also imposes certain limitations.I later reworked material from Dagen svalnar... into the string prelude Preludium till Dagen svalnar... (1994).The work was premiered by Johanna Talasniemi and the Finnish Radio Chamber Choir conducted by Juha Kuivanen in September 1993.© Jaakko Mäntyjärvi, 1999Dagen svalnar... ei ole oikeastaan kuoroteos vaan eräänlainen kuoro-Lied alttosolistille ja sekakuorolle. Kuoro toimii kauttaaltaan säestävänä tekijänä. Törmäsin tähän Edith Södergranin tekstiin sattumalta, ja se alkoi ikään kuin säveltää itse itseään; tällainen on minulle harvinaista, ja tapausta korostaa vielä se, että en ollut lähes neljään vuoteen sitä ennen säveltänyt mitään, koska katsoin että minulla ei ollut mitään sanottavaa.Tekstissä pohditaan traagisen epäonnistunutta parisuhdetta pikemminkin surun kuin vihan kautta, ja musiikki taas lähestyy tekstiä pikemminkin impressionistisen soinnin kuin suurten romanttisten eleiden kautta. Teos on teknisesti melko haastava ja sisältää vaativia harmonioita. Alttosoolon yli kahden oktaavin ääniala asettaa myös omat vaatimuksensa.Dagen svalnar... -teoksen materiaalista työstin myöhemmin preludin jousiyhtyeelle, Preludium till Dagen svalnar... (1994).Teoksen kantaesittivät Johanna Talasniemi ja Juha Kuivasen johtama Radion kamarikuoro syyskuussa 1993.© Jaakko Mäntyjärvi, 1999

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Abbreviation	Instrument
Woodwind
acl	alto clarinet
afl	alto flute
arec	alto recorder
asax	alto saxophone
barsax	baritone saxophone
barhn	baritone horn
bcl	bass clarinet
bfl	bass flute
bob	bass oboe
bsax	bass saxophone
bsn	bassoon
cbsn	contrabassoon
cl	clarinet
ehn	English horn
fl	flute
hn	French horn
ob	oboe
pic	piccolo
rec	recorder
sax	saxophone
srec	soprano recorder
ssax	soprano saxophone
trec	tenor recorder
tsax	tenor saxophone
Brass
ahn	alto horn
atrb	altotrombone
barhn	baritone horn
btrb	bass trombone
cornet	cornet
euph	euphonium
fhn	flugelhorn
hn	French horn
tba	tuuba
thn	tenor horn
trb	trombone
trp	trumpet
Percussion
dr	drums
glock	glockenspiel
mar	marimba
perc	percussion
timp	timpani
vibr	vibraphone
xyl	xylophone
Strings
db	double bass
gamba	viola da gamba
str	strings
vla	viola
vlc	cello
vln	violin
Other
acc	accordion
cel	celesta
cemb	harpsichord
chords	chords
elbas	electric bass
elg	electric guitar
elorg	electric organ
elpno	electric piano
guit	guitar
harm	harmonium
hca	harmonica
hp	harp
instr	instrument
kantele	kantele
keyb	keyboard
live electr	live electronics
mand	mandolin
mel	melody
org	organ
pno	piano
synth	synthesizer
tape	tape
Vocal
alto	alto
baryt	baritone
basso	bass voice
ch	choir
chc	childrens choir
chf	female choir
chm	male choir
chx	mixed choir
cten	countertenor
mezzo	mezzo-soprano
sopr	soprano
speaker	speaker
ten	tenor
voc	vocal

Symphony orchestra
2222 4331 11 1, str = 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 French horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, one other percussionist, harp and strings
Wind band
2252 3 423 21212 3 = 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 5 clarinets, 2 bassoons - 3 saxophones - 4 French horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones - 2 cornets, alto horn, 2 tenor horns, baritone horn, 2 tubas - 3 percussionists
Big band
221 4 4, pno, guit, db, dr = 2 alto saxophones, 2 tenor saxophones, baritone saxophone, 4 trumpets, 4 trombones, piano, guitar, double bass, drums
Additional codes
+	fl+pic = flutist doubles on piccolo
/	pno/org = can be played on either piano or organ
lib	ad libitum
obl	obligato
str	str: 65432 = specified number of string players
str min	str min: 65432 = at least 65432
str max	str max: 65432 = not more than 65432
solo	vln solo = violin is the solo instrument in a work not obviously for solo violin