Music Finland Core

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On being requested by Keijo Puumalainen, leader of the percussion section in the Finnish National Opera Orchestra, to compose a work for solo percussion player, I immediately warmed to the idea of writing something in which this brilliant, imaginative musician could make use of his battery of percussion instruments in a rich world of colours, timbres and rhythms.The name Vision indicates that the work is about a visionary world of numerous opportunities and an invitation to embark on an adventure in a wealth of detail. People usually think of percussion instruments as nothing but banging and rumbling, but they also possess intimate hidden voices and expression.Right at the beginning we hear the faint chinking of the little metal discs of a tambourine. We expect this folk-like, rhythmically stimulating instrument (familiar for hundreds and thousands of years to the primitive peoples of Asia, the Jews of the Old Testament, the janissary bands of Turkey and the gypsies of Spain) to engage in an ecstatic rhythmic orgy. But one of the little metal discs of the tambourine is struck with a thin metal rod and we hear something ethereally sonorous and poetic.The gong, cymbals and tam-tam are hit in different places and with different implements, or a double bass bow is drawn across them. The result is an ambience in which metal and membrane percussion instruments interact and sketch in a profile. The marimba and vibraphone lead the way and various membranophones, wooden drums, bells and triangles contribute to the thematic development, the metamorphosis of sound. There are, all in all, 53 different instruments in the work. Finally it returns to the ethereal mood of the beginning. The work takes about 12 minutes to perform.© Erik Bergman 2000translation by © Susan Sinisalo

Year of composing

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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