Description

When I was approached to write a piece for a recording dedicated to choral arrangements of songs by well-known Finnish troubadour-style singer and songwriter J. Karjalainen, I could not help thinking that the idea was a bit strange. But, with tongue firmly in cheek, I decided to do an ‘instrumental’ number, with the choir singing in scat. The result echoes a smoky cabaret, with the melody moaning away in languorous triplets over a steady bass ostinato. The curious title attempts to recreate the fact that the original Finnish title is an ultra-literal translation of 'Oh baby, I got the blues'.

© Jaakko Mäntyjärvi, 2002

Kun minua pyydettiin tekemään kappale levylle, joka oli omistettu J. Karjalaisen laulujen kuorosovituksille, pidin ajatusta hieman outona. Mutta kieli tiukasti poskessa päädyin lopulta tekemään ’instrumentaalin’, jossa kuoro laulaa scat-tekstiä. Lopputuloksessa on kaikuja savuisesta kabareesta, jossa melodia naukuu pitkinä trioleina muuttumattoman basso-ostinaton yllä. Otsikko on tietenkin sanatarkka käännös sanonnasta 'Oh baby, I got the blues'.

© Jaakko Mäntyjärvi, 2002

Instrumentation

chx

Category

Vocal and Choral Works

Premiere

University of Turku Student Union Choir, cond. Tapani Saarinen, Turku, May 2001.

Commisioned by / dedications

Commissioned by the University of Turku Student Union Choir.

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