Music Finland Core

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My youthful encounter with the poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke turned out to be quite a discovery, not only in literary terms but also for the development of my world view. I still associate it strongly with the mysticism surrounding the ruins of post-war Vienna. It was there that I composed my Fünf Sonette an Orpheus, and two years later in Cologne I started writing the song cycle Die Liebenden to Rilke’s texts. From that time onwards I continued to carry with me — both mentally and in my suitcase — the Duino Elegies, Rilke’s seminal work. Over the years I would take it out, finding myself particularly drawn to the first elegy, whose angel figure took on the role of a personal ‘animus’. My orchestral works Angels and Visitations, Angel of Dusk and Playgrounds for Angels are all musical personifications of this figure.Only as recently as 1993, however, when the international choral body Europa Cantat wanted to commission a large-scale choral work from me, did I feel that the time had come to set of angel elegy. It had evidently matured in my subconscious in the interim, since the process of composing the work was swift, eager and fluently self-assured. The basic pitch material is derived from four triads which together form a twelve-note row. The way this material is applied, however, stands in considerable contrast to methods usually used for atonal music. In consequence, the tone of the work is mellow even at its most dramatic; poetic, yet expressive.© Einojuhani Rautavaara(translated by © Andrew Bentley)Rainer Maria Rilken runouden kohtaaminen oli minulle nuoruusvuosien suuri kirjallinen, jopa maailmankatsomuksellinen löytö. Mielessäni se yhä assosioituu sodanjälkeisen Wienin rauniomystiikkaan. Siellä jo sävelsin Rilken Orfeus-sonetteja ja pari vuotta myöhemmin Kölnissä aloitin laulusarjaa Die Liebenden. Mutta noista ajoista lähtien kannoin mielessäni ja matkalaukussani myös Duinon Elegioita, Rilken pääteosta. Vuosikymmenien varrella otin sen silloin tällöin esille – varsinkin ensimmäisen elegian, jonka Enkelistä tuli minulle eräänlainen animus-hahmo. Orkesterisävellykset Angels and Visitations, Angel of Dusk ja Playgrounds for Angels olivat sen henkilöitymiä.Mutta vasta 1993, kun kansainvälinen kuoroliitto Europa Cantat halusi tilata laajan sävellyksen, tuntui enkelielegian hetki tulleen. Se oli ilmiselvästi odotusaikana jo kehittynyt alitajunnassa, sillä sävellystyö oli nopeaa, innostunutta ja varmaa. Musiikin sävelmateriaalin lähtökohtana oli neljästä kolmisoinnusta muodostunut 12-sävelrivi, jota kuitenkin käytettiin aivan eri tavalla kuin atonaalisessa tekniikassa on sääntönä. Niinpä sävy on dramaattisenakin pehmeä, runollinen, ilmaiseva.© Einojuhani RautavaaraSee also: Lyrics in English and Finnish

Year of composing

Arranger

Movements

Availability

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

Die erste Elegie