Värein
Piano, 4 percussionists and string orchestra (young players)
Composed:
2016
Score / parts
Instrumentation and duration
Piano, 4 percussionists (marimba, 2 xylophones, vibraphone, gran cassa, Tam-tam) and string orchestra (young players)
Duration: 11 minutes
Commission / dedications
Commissioned by The East Helsinki Music Institute for their 50th Anniversary. Dedicated to The Helsinki Strings, their conductor Jukka Rantamäki and the East Helsinki Music Institute on their 50th Anniversary
First performance
Students of the East Helsinki Music Institute and the Helsinki Strings, cond. Jukka Rantamäki, Temppeliaukio Church, Helsinki, Finland, May 26, 2016
Reflections
Concert review, published on Hufvudstadsbladet by Mats Liljeroos
May 27, 2016
Naturally, the classics made an appearance—anything less would have been surprising—but significant emphasis was also placed on new music. The program featured no fewer than five works written for the anniversary year, three of which received their world premieres on Thursday. Eetu Ranta-aho, himself a former student and now a teacher at the institution, contributed two pieces: Tuuli nousee for wind ensemble and Tre stycken (with the titles Godot, Adowa, and Zemlya) for cello and double bass ensemble. Both works were thoughtfully tailored to their respective contexts without compromising musical substance. The same could be said for Matthew Whittall’s Archipelago for guitar orchestra, which caressed the ear with its meditatively flowing harmonies.
Walking a Fine Line
A central challenge in this context is, of course, that much of today’s art music is too technically advanced for pedagogical use. This is something Markku Klami has sought to address in his sonically sensitive Värein for string orchestra, four percussionists, and piano—a substantial and rewarding piece that offers plenty to sink one’s teeth into, without overwhelming the performers.
Composer's Notes
This work marked a new kind of opening for me in that it had to be tailored to suit young performers. New music is sometimes perceived as extremely difficult and a challenging terrain that only highly polished professionals and virtuosos can navigate. At times, that image is justified. Still, I believe composers write far too few works for young musicians. Occasionally (though thankfully less often these days), one even hears (self-)congratulatory remarks about how impossibly difficult and demanding a new piece is. Perhaps partly because of this, new music has often remained distant from students at the early stages of their studies.
Ironically, it’s the contemporary music scene itself that suffers from this: it may appear narrower, more one-dimensional, and harder to approach than it really is.
A composer must be able to adapt their ideas and expression to suit different ensembles and various needs. Perhaps it’s the teacher in me who sees it as a personal mission to make new music available even to younger students… Access to the incredibly rich world of contemporary music should be a right, not a privilege.
It’s a great honor for me to hear the premiere of my new work performed by the extraordinarily talented students of the East Helsinki Music Institute and the Helsinki Strings. Among them are many of my current and former students. Värein is dedicated to the Helsinki Strings, their conductor Jukka Rantamäki, and the East Helsinki Music Institute on its 50th anniversary.
Congratulations, the East Helsinki Music Institute – may music continue to bring joy, inspiration, and light into the future!