Music Finland Core

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The zither-like Kantele is a traditional Finnish folk instrument. Recent years have wittnessed an increasing interest in this surprisingly agile instrument among composers of contemporary classical music. The so-called "concert kantele" has a tuning mechanism not unlike that of the harp.My Three Impromptus make use of several new playing techniques for the Kantele, such as percussive effects and glissandi with the tuning pegs. Instead of the usual equal temperament, the Kantele is here tuned to a scale in just intonation, containing the frequance ratios 7:4 and 11:8. The clarinettist uses special fingerings for non-standard pitches.The music is mostly meditative, and as the title suggests, improvisatory in character. Two quotes deserve mentioning. The work concludes with a fragment from an old Finnish folk song. Somewhat less predictably, the second movement is based on a 1960's pop tune You Really Got Me by The Kinks.© Juhani NuorvalaKolme impromptua (1995) ovat luonteeltaan pääosin kuulostelevaa ja otsikon mukaisesti improvisaatiohenkistä musiikkia. Kanteletta soitetaan monin tavoin: toisessa osassa pyritään jopa rock-sävyihin. Kantele on viritetty puhtaaseen yläsävelskaalaan, jossa ovat mukana intervallit 7:4 ja 11:8. Klarinetisti käyttää erikoissormituksia poikkeusvireisiä säveliä varten. Sitaatit mainittakoon: The Kinks -yhtyeen You Really Got Me kiintoisine alkulukuisine säemittoineen (1-7-11) ja kantelekappaleessa ehkä vähemmän yllättävä Täällä Pohjantähden alla.© Juhani NuorvalaIn de laaste tijd is de intresse voor de kantele bij Finse componisten erg toegenomen. Zeker nu er een concertversie van het instrument is ontstaan, met een stemmechaniek als bij een harp. De Three Impromtus for Clarinet and Kantele maakt gebruik van recent ontwikkelde speeltechnieken voor het instrument, zoals het gebruik als slaginstrument en glissandi met de stemknoppen. In dit stuk gebruit de klarinettist speciale vingerzettingen voor afwijkende toonhogtes. De muziek zelf is een beetje meditatief en, zoals de titel al zegt, sommige delen lijken geïmproviseerd. Het stuk eindigt met een fragment van een oud-Fins volkslied Täällä Pohjantähden alla (Onder de poolster). Iets minder voor de hand liggend, maar wel grappig: het tweede deel is gebaseerd op het jaren '60-nummer You Really Got Me van The Kinks.© Juhani Nuorvala

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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

Kolme impromptua klarinetille ja kanteleelle