The Droplet and the Ocean draws inspiration from one of the Jean Sibelius´s early composition Water Droplets for violin and cello. It is a pizzicato piece and this element I transferred to my composition. The Droplet is a fast and short pizzicato like motive that bounces and plays around. It starts out innocent, gathers more droplets and gets through various surroundings in its path. The other element, ocean, is represented by the waves of piano clusters. Also the clarinet and the violin contribute to the ocean by fast runs and mimicking wind noises. The Droplet and the Ocean meet in various ways - fun, wild, mysterious and dark. In the end, things settle and the droplet dissolves into the ocean.

I wanted this piece to have a bright and positive feel, much to Reetta´s character to whom this piece is dedicated to. The concert, in which the Droplet and the Ocean was premiered, was organized by Hokkaido Sibelius Society in Sapporo, hence the light nod to Sibelius.

Reetta Näätänen - Clarinet
Lea Antola - Violin
Tuomas Turriago - Piano

the Droplet and the Ocean

2020

The Droplet And The Ocean (2019)

This piece was composed with the idea of soloist being (concretely) an extension of his/her instrument. The vocal of the soloist is occasionally treated as a reverb for selected notes and at other times there is a mimetic relationship between the viola and the soloist: the voice is an extension of the instrument. The idea of extension is carried over to the composition itself: for example a wide vibrato extends into a larger entity. The idea of using extensions in connection with the mimesis: thematic material learns from itself by mimetically, yet variably repeating itself.

Mimesis for solo viola and performer´s voice placed 2nd and was highly commended in the first International String Orchestra Composition Competition (Isofestival Malta 2006)

Viola - Anna Sairanen

Mimesis For Solo Viola And Performer´s Voice

2005

Mimesis For Solo Viola And Performer´s Voice (2005)

Written as part of my analysis and stylistic studies when I was studying composition (2006). I think this came out rather nicely. Back then I was looking more closely at Ravels work (of whom I still adore) as well as impressionism in music in general. In this piece there is a section which is something Ravel propably would not do, hence the name Unravel. 

Pianist : Jan Sandvik

Jonne Valtonen

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