Music Finland Core

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Five Portraits of Women is a set of songs with large ensemble derived by Aulis Sallinen from arias from three of his operas: The Red Line, The King Goes Forth to France and Kullervo. Each draws a portrait of a woman compelled in her role by fate or a mission. The vocal lines differ only very slightly from their original counterparts in the operas but the revised orchestral accompaniment creates an extraordinary new soundscape as background to the arias, consisting as it does of a woodwind orchestra, four cellos, a harp and a piano. There is also a solo French horn which acts as a sort of masculine counterweight to the female vocalist. Tuiskuaa lunta (It is still snowing) (from The Red Line) is the story of Riikka, waiting in her snowbound cabin for the arrival of a good, life-enhancing message. Carolinen häät (Caroline’s Wedding) (from The King Goes Forth to France) describes the deranged Caroline Tammatukka (Caroline with the Thick Mane) in a feverish hallucination involving the King, whose arrival she awaits. The King is in fact already married but Caroline believes that he has left France for their wedding. Minä odotan sinua, paimen (When we meet this evening) (from Kullervo) is the aria of the smith’s young wife, who waits impatiently for the arrival of Kullervo. Itkenkö minä sinua? (How can you ask if I’ll mourn you), from the same opera, describes the all-embracing love of a mother, which encourages yet overrules the scorn of others for the youth. On tämä silta tehty naisista (That’s the bridge that’s made of womankind) (from The King Goes Forth to France) is the song of Caroline Iloinen [The Nice Caroline] explaining the biological, eternal mission of woman as the bearer and birth-giver of life. The libretto of the opera The King Goes Forth to France is written by Paavo Haavikko; the librettos of The Red Line and Kullervo are by the composer. Five Portraits of Women was commissioned by the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. (c) Aulis Sallinen

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Movements

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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

Five Portraits of Women Op. 100