Music Finland Core

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Basfortel is scored for two players but is in fact a trio. In addition to the grand piano the pianist plays a Midi keyboard placed over the piano keys. I wanted to write a piece that expands the piano-clarinet duo setup with electronics, either so that the material of the Midi keyboard comes close to the sound of some imaginary keyboard instrument, in which case it contributes to the music-making with its own independent timbre, or so that the material is so highly processed that it becomes some strange, unknown instrument or source of sound. All the Midi keyboard material is taken from the bass clarinet and piano sounds processed in different ways in the spirit of musique concr6te. I wanted to think of the Midi keyboard part as a sort of link between the piano and clarinet that could if necessary slip off into totally uncharted waters. The Midi keyboard part now heard is thus one possible way of mapping the vast material. There is very little sound synthesis proper in the piece, and the bulk of the material is produced by combining and transposing various alien ideas. The lexicon effect, now almost a museum piece, creates various delays and echoes and plays an important role in the electronics. The work was written for and is dedicated to Heikki Nikula and Heini Kärkkäinen along with Jussi Liimatainen, my invaluable assistant in the experimental studio.© Veli-Matti Puumalatranslation by © Susan SinisaloBasfortel on kirjoitettu kahdelle soittajalle, mutta oikeastaan kyseessä on trio. Pianisti soittaa flyygelin lisäksi midi-koskettimistoa, joka on asetettu flyygelin koskettimiston päälle. Halusin kirjoittaa kappaleen, jossa piano-klarinetti-duoasetelmaa laajennetaan elektroniikalla joko niin että midi-koskettimiston materiaali on lähellä jonkun kuvitteellisen kosketinsoittimen ääntä, jolloin se osallistuu musisointiin omana itsenäisenä värinään ta sitten sen materiaali on niin pitkälle muokattua, että siitä muodostuu jokin outo, tuntematon soitin tai äänilähde. Koko midi-koskettimiston materiaali on peräisin bassoklarinetin ja pianon äänistä, joita on muokattu eri tavoin konkreettisen musiikin hengessä. Halusin ajatella midi-koskettimiston osuutta eräänlaisen pianon ja klarinetin välisenä linkkinä, joka tarvittaessa voisi liukua myös aivan tuntemattomille alueille. Nyt kuultava midi-koskettimiston osuus on täten yksi mahdollinen rajaus tuosta valtavasta materiaalikentästä. Varsinaista äänisyn teesiä kappaleessa on hyvin vähän, pääosa ma teriaalista on saatu erilaisia vieraita asioita yhdistelemällä ja transponoimalla. Tärkeä osuus elektroniikassa on myös kahdella jo kohta museaalisella lexicon-efektilaitteella, joilla luodaan erilaisia viiveitä ja kaikuja. Teos on kirjoitettu ja omistettu Heikki Nikulalle ja Heini Kärkkäiselle sekä kokeilustudiossa korvaamattomana apuna kanssani olleelle Jussi Liimataiselle.© Veli-Matti Puumala

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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