Orchestra
SKU:
FG.55011-610-8
Two
mythical scenes op 1.
Composed by Aulis
Sallinen. Study score.
Fennica Gehrman
#55011-610-8. Published
by Fennica Gehrman
(FG.55011-610-8).
ISBN
9790550116108.
Two
Mythical Scenes for
orchestra was completed
in 1956, when Sallinen
was Aarre Merikanto's
composition student for
his second term. The work
received its premiere
performance only after a
good deal of pressure
from Prof. Merikanto's
side, and was finally
premiered in a concert by
the Sibelius Academy
Symphony Orchestra,
conducted by Jussi Jalas.
The work received opus
number 1, as it was the
first publicly performed
work by Sallinen.
The composer has told
that he was inspired by a
1947 book published by
the Finnish Literary
Society (SKS) Myytillisia
kuvia (Mythical
Scenes/Images). The
second movement of the
work, Kalmanvaen
joulukirkko (The
Christmas Service of the
Dead) is based on the
stories in which the dead
rise from their graves
early in the Christmas
Day morning to attend
their own special
ceremony led by a dead
priest. The opening
movement Kulkue
(Procession) depicts the
dead in a procession
towards the church.
In 2020 Sallinen revised
the score slightly. In
his own words with very
small changes helping the
sixty years younger and
less experienced self.
The revisions mostly
concerned nuances and
dynamics, bowings and
some bridges. The
original structure,
rhythmic and harmonic
world is still the same
as they were when young
Sallinen composed the
work in 1956.