No More Shakespeare Songs?
by Jaakko Mäntyjärvi
Description
As the Kampin Laulu Chamber Choir was coming up to its 10th anniversary in 2000, its founder and conductor Timo Lehtovaara approached me to write one of ten commissioned pieces for the anniversary concert. He half-jokingly suggested the title No More Shakespeare Songs to follow up my Four Shakespeare Songs and More Shakespeare Songs. I took up the idea, although I took the liberty of appending a question mark — I may well one day write Even More Shakespeare Songs...
The text is Puck’s epilogue from A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The music sounds maddeningly simple (although it contains some fairly complex harmonies), and the piece simply consists of racing through the text at a breakneck speed. And then again a semitone higher and faster. And then again a semitone higher and even faster. Despite its brevity, the piece manages to incorporate influences from a number of sources, for instance Jukka Linkola and Gilbert & Sullivan.
© Jaakko Mäntyjärvi, 2002
Kampin Laulun lähestyessä 10-vuotisjuhlaansa v. 2000 sen perustaja ja johtaja Timo Lehtovaara tilasi minulta yhden kymmenestä juhlakonsertissa kantaesitettävästä teoksesta. Hän ehdotti puoliksi vitsinä teoksen nimeksi No More Shakespeare Songs, olinhan aiemmin kirjoittanut teokset Four Shakespeare Songs ja More Shakespeare Songs. Otin vihjeestä vaarin, mutta laitoin varmuuden vuoksi kysymysmerkin nimen perään — eihän sitä tiedä vaikka tässä vielä syntyisi Even More Shakespeare Songs...
Tekstinä on Puckin epilogi näytelmästä Kesäyön unelma. Musiikki on raivostuttavan simppelin kuuloista (vaikka sen harmoniat ovatkin aika mutkikkaita), ja koko kappale koostuu siitä, että teksti roiskitaan läpi pikavauhtia. Ja sitten puoli sävelaskelta korkeampaa ja nopeammin. Ja sitten vielä puoli sävelaskelta korkeampaa ja vielä nopeammin. Lyhyydestään huolimatta kappale sisältää vaikutteita lukuisista eri lähteistä, joista mainittakoon Jukka Linkola ja Gilbert & Sullivan.
© Jaakko Mäntyjärvi, 2002
Instrumentation chx
Instrument codes
| 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 |
Coding for instrument ensembles and orchestras
| 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 |
Category Vocal and Choral Works
Language En
Premiere
Chamber Choir Kampin Laulu, cond. Timo Lehtovaara, Helsinki, November 2000.
Commisioned by / dedications Commissioned by Chamber Choir Kampin Laulu.
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