Music Finland Core

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The Finnish language belongs to the languages, which were formally standardized through the Reformation-driven need to translate religious texts from Latin to vernacular. The early Finnish biblical translations laid the foundations of standard Finnish, and the translation work was accomplished by a group of scholars. The most notable of them was Mikael Agricola (1510-1557), an extraordinary linguist talent, Lutheran theologian and humanist. His tranlations include the New Testament, parts of the Old Testament and several smaller liturgical books. Among his latest works was the translation of the Psalms. Agrocola's Daudin Psalttari (Psalter) was published on August 1551. In addition to the biblical content the book contains two prose prefaces and the epilogue, to which Agricola has added a list of pagan gods of the Häme and Karelia regions, which the inhabitants worshipped, allegedly being driven ”wild by the Devil and by sin". Agricola lists a total nuber of twenty-four gods, twelve for each region. The gods of Häme are in the focus of Virtaperko's work.”Written for soprano and viol consort, Hämäläisten jumalat continues the tradition of the consort song – a genre that florished in England during the late Renaissance and early Baroque period. In addition to viols, jouhikko – a traditional Finnish 3-string bowed lyre is included to the instrumentation.There are two parallel narrative levels in Agricola's writing on the pagan Finnish gods in ”Daudin psalttari”. While Agricola-the-scolar dispassionately lists the gods and explains their functions in the pagan society (giving invaluable first-hand information about the pre-Christian religious history of Finland), Agricola-the-reformist vigorously attacs the pagan society for its religious habits. From Agricola's Lutheran point of view it is evident that both popery and pagan superstition were deadly sins, which fiercely had to be fought against. Agricola certainly manages to carry his task with great style and drive.The basic dramaturgy of the piece is built to reflect the dicotomy of Agricola's rethorics. In the piece the actual listing of gods – as well as the descriptions of their functions – gets a rather traditional consort setting with a lot of attention being given to the polyphonic indepence individual voices. The Agricola's commentary part deliveres a different tone. The key instrument in reflecting the godlessness of the Häme pagans is jouhikko, while extented vocal techniques, string harmonics and slide pizzicato techniques of the treble viol create an imaginary mental lanscape of the devoted Lutheran and reformist. ” Olli Virtaperko, April 2018

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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