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Una Fantasia is a work in four movements for string quartet and piano. It is not a free fantasy without form, as one might think from the title. Its form grows out of the motivic material. The individual instruments frequently come to the fore in virtuosic passages or moments of meditation. The various movements are mutually related but at the same time each has its own individual profile. The third movement could carry the same title as the work as a whole, ‘una fantasia’. It is improvisational in character. One idea is spun out in the high register of the piano, with both hands playing with the motive in a polyphonic dialogue. Later the strings, also in a high register, join in and contribute to this unreal soundworld, playing ‘dietro il ponticello’ (behind the bridge), flageolet harmonics and other such subtleties. Then a meditative cantando solo makes its appearance. The last movement is characterised by quick strokes in the strings causing a flurry of loosely-pitched notes, while the piano sweeps in light, arpeggiated chords. Various playing techniques in the strings extend the range of tone colours. A rhythmic motive gradually comes into play, as does the meditative element in a cantando part. Overtone phenomena can be heard in both the piano and the strings, where use is made of flageolet glissandi, for example.Una Fantasia was commissioned by the Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival for performance in July 1995.© Erik Bergman, ca. 1996(translated by © Andrew Bentley)Una Fantasia är en komposition i fyra satser för stråkkvartett och piano. Det är inget planlöst fantiserande, som man kanske av titeln kunde tro. Formen växer ut ur det motiviska materialet. De enskilda instrumenten träder ofta fram med virtuosa passager eller meditativa ögonblick. Det finns en släktskap mellan de olika satserna men ändå har varje sats sin egen profil. Den tredje satsen kunde betitlas som kompositionen i sin helhet, una fantasia. Den har en improvisatorisk karaktär. En tanke spinner ut sig i pianots högsta register, där de båda händerna leker med motiven i en polyfon dialog. Senare faller stråkarna, också i sitt högsta register, in i denna overkliga klangatmosfär, ’dietro il ponticello’ (bakom stallet) och med flageoletter och andra subtiliteter. Också här möter man ett meditativt cantandosolo. Den sista satsen präglas av stråkarnas snabba slag i ett myller av odefinierade tonhöjder, medan pianot fingrerar på svaga arpeggioackord. Olika spelsätt i stråkarna ger färgvalörer. Ett rytmiskt motiv blandar sig i leken, liksom också det meditativa och i ett cantandopart. Fenomenet med övertoner hör man både i pianot och hos stråkarna, t.ex. i form av flageolett-glissando.Kompositionen är ett beställningsverk för Kuhmo Kammarmusikfestival i juli 1995.© Erik Bergman, ca. 1996

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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