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This three-movement suite is based on texts by Edith Södergran. The first movement conjures up a garden at night beneath clustered stars. Here the dream-like, irrational atmosphere is given expression in the soft whistle-like tone of the flute in its highest register and in the use of different percussion instruments. At certain points in the first and second movements the soprano strikes hanging glass rods, mussel shells and bamboo pipes. The second movement tells of smoke-like dreams. Apart from ordinary singing, here the soprano makes use of ‘Sprechstimme’, and ‘Sprechgesang’. At the end she sings “drr-drr”, which must be seen as a last reminder of the word ‘dreams’. The last movement expresses ecstasy: the triumph of being alive. Therefore, at the end the soprano leaps to her highest register in an ecstatic fortissimo, as does her flute. In this dynamic outburst the metallic rumble of tom-toms and cymbals can be heard.Translation:As night approaches, I stand in the porch and listen; stars are swarming in the garden and I stand in the darkness. Oh! a star just fell with a crash! Do not walk in the grass with bare feet; my garden is full of splinters.Do not go walking too close to your dreams: for they are like smoke and likely to vanish for they are dangerous and could well come through.What have I to fear? I am a part of all that is forever. I am a part of Being’s mighty power, a solitary world upon millions of worlds, a star of the first magnitude, the last to fade. Triumph of living, triumph of breathing, of being here, triumph of feeling time’s icy cold running though your veins. And hearing night’s quiet stream. And standing on the hill in the sunlight. I walk on sun, I stand on sun. I know of nothing other than sun.[writer and translator unknown: from the program leaflet for Erik Bergman Concert in Carnegie Hall, November 21, 1983]Den tresatsiga sviten bygger på texter av Edith Södergran. Den första satsen talar om en nattlig trädgård med svärmande stjärnor. Här tar sig den fördrömda, irrationella stämningen uttryck i flöjtens svaga visselläten i högsta registret och i utnyttjandet av olika slagverk. I vissa moment i den första och andra satsen slår sopranen med handen på hängande glasstavar, musselskivor och bamburör. Den andra satsen handlar om sköra, rökliknande drömmar. Sopranen använder sig här utom av vanlig sång också av talröst och talsång. I slutet sjunger sopranen ett ”drr-drr”, vilket är att betrakta som en sista reminiscens av ordet drömmar (dreams). Den sista satsen vill uttrycka extas: triumf att finnas till. Och därför svingar sig sopranen i slutet till de högsta höjderna i ett extatiskt fortissimo, likaså flöjten i sitt högsta register. I det dynamiska utbrottet hörs metalliskt dånande tamtamer, gonger och bäcken.Sviten är tillägnad Dorothy Dorow som uruppförde den i Köln 1979.

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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

Triumf att finnas till