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The scale and character of Heiniö’s 1985 composition Continent Cantata — and the postponement by seven years of its first performance — can be explained in part at least by the fact that the work was originally commissioned for the 150th anniversary of the City of Jyväskylä.The cantata is based on texts by the Finnish poet Lassi Nummi. The freetonal idiom derives primarily from two harmonic structures. At both the beginning and end of the work we hear the motto-like Prometheus chord; fire and vulcanicity are pivotal themes in Nummi’s poem anthology. A 12-note chord based on harmonics symbolizes the continent and mountains rising from the deeps. Tonal allusions come into the picture at the point where Nummi’s text shifts from natural forces to a more human plane: the waltz theme at the end of the second movement and the ‘restaurant music’ in the 3rd, with its transformation in the a cappella section.© Mikko Heiniö, 1992(written for the premiere of the work, August 21, 1992)(translated by © Susan Sinisalo)Mannerkantaatin laajuus ja luonne – samoin kuin kantaesityksen myöhästyminen seitsemällä vuodella – selittyvät sillä, että teos tilattiin alunperin Jyväskylän kaupungin 150-vuotisjuhliin.Kantaatti perustuu Lassi Nummen runosarjaan Uumenista. Vapaatonaalinen sävelkieli on johdettu lähinnä kahdesta harmonisesta struktuurista. Teoksen alussa ja lopussa esiintyy moton tavoin Prometheus-sointu; tuli ja vulkaanisuus ovat keskeisiä teemoja Nummen runoelmassa. Yläsävelsarjalle rakentuva 12-sävelsointu puolestaan symboloi syvyyksistä kohoavaa mannerta ja vuoria. Tonaaliset alluusiot astuvat kuvaan siinä vaiheessa, kun Nummen kuvakieli siirtyy luonnonvoimista lähemmäksi ihmistä: valssiteema 2. osan lopussa sekä 3. osan ’ravintolamusiikki’ ja sen transformaatio a cappella -taitteessa.© Mikko HeiniöKontinentkantatens dimensioner och prägel – liksom också det faktum att uruppförandet försenades med sju år – kommer sig av att verket ursprungligen beställdes för Jyväskylä stads 150-årsjubileum.Kantaten bygger på Lassi Nummis diktsvit Uumenista. Det fritonala tonspräket är närmast härlett ur två harmoniska strukturer. I slutet och i början av verket uppträder Prometheus-harmonin som ett motto. Eld och vulkanitet är centrala teman i Lassi Nummis poem. Ett tolvtonsackord som bygger på en övertonsserie symboliserar å sin sida en kontinent och berg som höjer sig ur djupet. I det skedet då Nummis bildspråk övergår från naturkrafterna till människan, träder de tonala allusionerna in i bilden: valstemat i slutet av andra satsen och ’restaurangmusiken’ i tredje satsen, som transformeras i a cappella-delen.© Mikko Heiniö, 1992(programmkommentar till verkets uruppförande den 21 august 1992)(övers. © Jan Granberg)

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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

Mannerkantaatti (45./1985)