Music Finland Core

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The Sonata concertante is a version for accordion and strings of my first Accordion Sonata, which I composed on the initiative of Matti Rantanen in 1984. The final version of that sonata was not, however, completed until 1989, in collaboration with Marjut Tynkkynen, who premiered it at the Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival on 29 July 1989. In my first Accordion Sonata I tried to stretch the instrument’s technical potential to the limits and to write something for the accordion that was as immensely virtuosic as the most virtuosic works by Liszt for the piano. In 1989, I also wrote a version of the first Sonata for two accordions based on the original one of 1984. Susanne and Veli Kujala premiered this Sonata for Two Accordions in Helsinki on 27 October 2002. Another accordionist, Janne Valkeajoki, later became interested in the first Sonata, too, and it was he who suggested I further make a concertante version, this time for accordion and strings; for the original Sonata was, he said, by its very nature highly orchestral. It could then be performed in concerts by chamber orchestras. In autumn 2018, Valkeajoki himself produced a draft of this concertante version, and in August 2019 I used it as the basis for the Sonata concertante, which keeps very closely to the original Sonata. This new arrangement can be performed with either a string quintet or a fairly small string orchestra. Like the other versions, the Sonata concertante is in two broad movements. They both begin with an improvisatory Prelude and end with a structurally freer coda. The beginning of the first movement is marked by many changes of tempo and brilliant, cadenza-like passages. The main movement proper is a broad Passacaglia that becomes highly virtuosic. The Prelude that begins the second movement is dominated by tremendous, farroaming octave figures that pause from time to time on repeated notes and massive clusters. These are in turn followed by a structurally complex triple Fugue. Both movements use the same basic musical material, a freely-applied 12-note row. Kalevi Aho. Translation Susan Sinisalo

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