|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Suomi Jukebox (2010)
for piano
This is a set of seven pieces, each named after a city or a locality in Finland. Although I have spent about a day in Finland when
I was 17, I have never been to any of these places; I have only visited them using Google Street View, and knew about some of them
from IRC conversations. I've been fascinated with the country ever since I discovered Finnish tracker music (works by Jonne 'Purple
Motion' Valtonen, Aleksi 'Heatbeat' Eeben, Markku 'Ukulele' Leinonen, various members of CNCD and Banal Projects, and many
others), which was a major early influence on my work.
The word Suomi is Finnish for Finland. It is pronounced the same way it is written, and with the first syllable stressed.
Every piece consists of just 21 three-note chords. Many of the notes are tied, so some of the chords are reduced to one or two notes.
Although this may sound easy to perform, the ties frequently call for the pianist to use both hands. The performer is free to create
whichever phrase structure they like by holding some of the chords, although I think the pieces work just as well when played the way
they are written. I think of the entire set as a small book of incantations.
PDF score
Audio:
– Joensuu
– Kainuu
– Tähtitornin vuori (Observatory Hill)
– Levia Petajasaari
– Kaarina
– Åbo
– Vihti