Music Finland Core

* Title

Additional title

Description

Portals have always featured in human stories, and especially in the transition from this to the other world. In the Finnish national epic, Kalevala, the River Tuoni separates the living from the realm of the dead. This was likewise the role of the Styx leading to Hades in Greek mythology. Dante, for his part, passed through the Gates of Hell at the start of his journey to Paradise. Nowadays, everything between Heaven and Hell is, of course, readily accessed at the click of an internet portal.My work focuses not on the gates of death but on portals familiar from popular culture. The concerto begins with a picture of a lurching rabbit and Alice who, having fallen down the rabbit-hole, floats down into Wonderland. The second movement alludes to the film Matrix in which the dystopian real world transfers to virtual reality along telephone lines. The special feature of this movement is the orchestrated DTMF (dual tone multi frequency) sounds of a telephone. The wind section of the orchestra "tinkles" Emmet "Doc" Brown from the film Back to the Future, and even God himself, for example. The magic world of Harry Potter is entered via platform 9 ¾ at King's Cross station in London. The soundscape of the third movement alternates between the Doppler effect of express trains and puffing steam trains. One of the finest moments in the history of the cinema is when Dorothy steps out of her twister-mauled home into the fairytale land of Oz; initially black-and-white, the film suddenly bursts into a riot of colour. I have sought to capture something of this in Ruby Slippers, in amongst a musical texture that whirls like a tornado. The closing movement drifts inescapably in space toward a black hole. The wormhole lurking there acts as a portal to a new dimension; at least in sci-fi literature.Tomi Räisänen, 2019 (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