Sonata for viola and piano
by Max Savikangas
Sonaatti alttoviululle ja pianolle
Description
The purpose of the composition project was to compose a full-scale sonata for viola and piano, in which the instruments are equal partners with each other and in which the expressive means of contemporary music are widely used. The motivation of the project was to fill a gaping gap in the Finnish viola sonata repertoire of the 2020s and to create a completely independent new work, which viola players would be excited to take up.
The Sonata is cast in three movements, which could be describes as follows:
I Angst. Present; struggle, pain, anxiety caused by the inevitable end.
II Threnody. Past; sorrow mixed with gratitude and relief.
III Awakening. Future; sunrise, spring, birth, start of new life, vitality.
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Sävellystilaushankkeen tarkoituksena oli säveltää ja kantaesittää täysimittainen sonaatti alttoviululle ja pianolle, jossa soittimet ovat keskenään tasavertaisia kumppaneita ja jossa hyödynnetään laajasti nykymusiikin ilmaisukeinoja. Hankkeen motivaationa oli täyttää ammottava aukko 2020-luvun suomalaisessa alttoviulusonaattiohjelmistossa ja luoda täysin itsenäinen uusi teos, johin alttoviulistit innoistuisivat tarttumaan.
Sonaatti on kolmiosainen ja sitä voidaan kuvailla seuraavasti:
I Ahdistus. Nykyhetki; kamppailu, kipu, väistämättömän lopun aiheuttama tuskaisuus.
II Surulaulu. Menneisyys; suru sekoittuneena kiitollisuuteen ja helpotukseen.
III Herääminen. Tulevaisuus; auringonnousu, kevät, syntymä, uuden elämän alku, elinvoima.
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Instrumentation vla, pno
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 Chamber Works
Premiere
Katrīna Anna Pelnēna, viola and Fanny Söderstöm, piano, 19 October 2025 at Max Savikangas’s composer profile concert in the Balder Hall, Helsinki, Finland.
Movements I Angst. Present; struggle, pain, anxiety caused by the inevitable end (I Ahdistus. Nykyhetki; kamppailu, kipu, väistämättömän lopun aiheuttama tuskaisuus) - II Threnody. Past; sorrow mixed with gratitude and relief (II Surulaulu. Menneisyys; suru sekoittuneena kiitollisuuteen ja helpotukseen) - III Awakening. Future; sunrise, spring, birth, start of new life, vitality (III Herääminen. Tulevaisuus; auringonnousu, kevät, syntymä, uuden elämän alku, elinvoima)
Commisioned by / dedications Commissioned by and dedicated to Katrīna Anna Pelnēna
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Archive number MF36109
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