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The Cantos is a group of one-movement works for string orchestra which has gradually accumulated into a cycle over a number of years. Cantos I and II date from 1960, Canto III was written in 1972 and Canto IV as recently as 1992. The title is loaned from the cycle of poems by Ezra Pound bearing the same name. I have a high regard for Pound’s cycle and wanted to create a musical parallel to it which would reflect the ethos of this poetry — its multilayered nature, its references and allusions which are many and varied in time and setting — while still retaining the tight, homogeneous character of its structure. As with Pound’s cycle, these works, though created over a long period in chronological terms, are essentially personal statements — biographical one might say — which can fairly be described as one-movement symphonies in conception.Canto IV is a typical product of the phase of synthesis which occurred in my music during the 1980's and 90's. My ideal was to create highly controlled and logical structures but avoid the starchiness which tends to result from dodecaphony or other ‘systems’. I wanted them to be like trees: growing and branching organically, in contrast to architectural forms. This is indeed what happened: the opening bars were the result of a morning whim, a poetic notion or veiled thought devoid of any conscious plan or goal. It wove itself gradually into something larger without me knowing for a long time what would come of it, until it finally announced its arrival as this snapshot out of life’s album, the Canto IV.© Einojuhani RautavaaraCantos on vähitellen tullut yksiosaisten jousiorkesteriteosteni lajinimeksi. I ja II ovat jo vuodelta 1960, kolmas syntyi 1972 ja neljäs vasta 1992. Nimi on peräisin Ezra Poundin kuuluisasta runosarjasta Cantos. Pidin siitä paljon ja halusin tehdä musiikissa jotain rinnakkaista noiden laajojen runojen monitasoiselle, moneen suuntaan ja aikaan assosioivalle ja kuitenkin rakenteena ehdottoman kiinteälle muodolle. Pitkin aikavälein syntyneinä Cantos ovat, kuten Poundillakin, vahvasti henkilökohtaista, etten sanoisi elämäkerrallista sanontaa, eräänlaisia yksiosaisia jousisinfonioita.Canto IV edustaa tyypillisesti 1980–90-lukujen synteesivaihetta musii-kissani. Ihanteena oli tehdä rakenne hallituksi ja loogiseksi, mutta ei jäykäksi dodekafonian tai muun ’järjestelmän’ tavoin. Halusin sen kasvavan puun lailla; orgaanisesti, ei arkkitehtonisesti. Ja todellakin; avaustahdit olivat erään aamun mieleenjohtuma, runollinen, verhottu ajatus vailla tietoista suunnitelmaa ja päämäärää. Se kehräytyi eteenpäin enkä pitkään aikaan tiennyt mitä siitä yleensä tulisi. Kunnes se kertoi olevansa ehkä tämän elämänvaiheen kuva, Canto IV.© Einojuhani Rautavaara

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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