Music Finland Core

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Jousikvartetossani Dancescapes on kolme osaa. Pääosasa matkataan läpi "tanssitilojen". Sitä reunustavat arvoituksellinen johdanto ja levollinen epilogi. Dancescapesin kantaesitti hollantilainen Dufy-kvartetti Milanossa syksyllä 1992 Nuove Sincronie -konserttisarjassa.© Juhani Nuorvala, 1993Already early on his career Nuorvala stood apart from the rest of his colleagues for his special interest in American minimalism. He also commented on this phenomenon, relatively unknown as it was in Finland at that time, in radio programmes and articles. Nuorvala's own style has never been typically minimalistic. The influences upon which he has drawn have been tempered by other preoccupations, the French 'spectral' school style of writng in particular. The building of a synthesis between these ideas continue to be one of Nuorvala's aims even in his recent works.The String Quartet No. 1, which goes under the name Dancescapes was completed in 1992. It professes to be a three-movement work, but the introduction, main movement and epilogue are played without a break and leave the impression of a one-movement form. The quartet is similar in structural conception to schemes found in Lutoslawski, not least because of the introduction, which casts around for its direction from a range of alternatives. The principal motivic role is taken by a tiny cell, dance-like in character, which is repeated persistently. It sways on exuberantly and is amplified into rhythmic figures which are constantly in flux. This motive represents the 'minimalistic' pole of Nuorvala's palette of materials. At the other extreme are ethereal, discretely microintervallic harmonies which one might regard as a manifestation of 'spectral music'. Significantly, this state of affairs is not permanent. In the main movement of the work Nuorvala weaves a texture surprisingly akin to traditional counterpointal string quartet writing. This is surely a new dimension in his music and one which opens fresh and interesting vistas for the future.The dominaiting trait of Nuorvala's quartet is without doubt its incredibly rich and subtle use of rhythm - an aspect which the work's sub-title leads us to expect. At the one extreme it takes the form of polyrhythmic behaviour verging at times on the highly complex, and at the other, boogie-woogie figures. This brings us to the most important merit of the piece: although the work's stylistic anchoring points are far apart and on first hearing place it in the realm of the pluralistic aesthetic, a more detailed listening reveals the work to be a tightly integrated piece of writing. Its cleverly conceived dramaturgical arch extends from the quietly brooding twilight of its beginnings, through many playfully dance-like explorations and strong dramatic climaxes towards a smooth, melodious conclusion. On the whole, Nuorvala's Dancescapes, in all its variety and robustness, is an excellent example of how maximal effect can be extracted from a few relatively simple materials.© Jouni Kaipainen, 1994

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Arranger

Movements

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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