Music Finland Core

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Aarre Merikanto was one of the leading reformers on the Finnish musical scene of the 1920s. Although the string quartet in E major was completed a few years before the start of his modernist period, it already contains signs that his late Romantic idiom was branching out into impressionism, and the dance-like scherzo further points the way to the grittier, more austere Neoclassical period. The quartet represents a sinewy, coherent sound, though the first violin clearly steals the limelight. Merikanto later used some of the themes from the quartet in his operatic masterpiece Juha (1920-1922).© Kimmo Korhonen, March 2000(translated by © Susan Sinisalo)Aarre Merikanto kuului suomalaisen musiikin keskeisiin uudistajiin 1920-luvulla. Vaikka jousikvartetto E-duuri on valmistunut muutama vuosi ennen Merikannon modernismin puhkeamista esiin, siinä voi havaita myöhäisromanttisen sävelkielen laajentumista impressionismin ja tanssillisessa scherzossa myös karumman ja karheamman uusklassismin suuntaan. Kvartetto on jäntevästi rakentuva ja hyvin soiva kokonaisuus, vaikka ensiviulu varastaakin pääroolin selvästi itselleen. Sittemmin Merikanto käytti osaa kvarteton teemoista mestariteoksessaan oopperassa Juha (1920-1922).© Kimmo Korhonen, 3/2000

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

String Quartet 1