EDITION WILHELM HANSEN WH33562
Joel Järventausta
SUNFALL
for large orchestra (2020)
Score
Joel Järventausta SUNFALL
for large orchestra (2020)
Duration: c. 17 mins
Commissioned for the London Symphony Orchestra through the LSO Discovery Panufnik Composers Scheme, supported by The Helen Hamlyn Trust
Copyright © 2022 Edition Wilhelm Hansen A/S, Copenhagen WH 33562
ISBN: 978-87-598-1506-9
ISMN: 979-0-66134-864-1
Music engraving in Sibelius
Publisher’s editor: Katrine Gregersen Dal
Edition Wilhelm Hansen, A/S Copenhagen Bornholmsgade 1A 1266 København K Denmark
www.wisemusicclassical.com
INSTRUMENTATION
3 Flutes (II = alto fl., III = picc.)
3 Oboes (III = ca)
3 Clarinets in Bb (III = bcl)
2 Bassoons
Contrabassoon
4 Horns in F
3 Trumpets in Bb
2 Tenor Trombones
Bass Trombone
Tuba
Timpani
Percussion (2 players)
Player I: tubular bells, glockenspiel & cowbell*, suspended cymbal (bow required), marimba, 2 bongos (shared)
Player II: tenor drum, whip, vibraphone (bow required), 2 bongos (shared), bass drum, bell tree
Piano
Harp
Violin I (7 desks)
Violin II (6 desks)
Viola (5 desks)
Cello (4 desks)
Double Bass (3 desks)**
** C extensions required
* the cowbell is often simultaneously played with the glockenspiel, therefore the two need to be placed at close proximity
Score in C
The premiere was given by the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by François Xavier-Roth, in the Barbican Hall, London (UK), on 3 April 2022
PROGRAMME NOTE
Sunfall took inspiration from several sources. The first was the sunset scene of Thomas Moran’s 1875 painting Fiercely the Red Sun Descending/Burned His Way Along the Heavens. The vivid colours of the sky juxtaposed with the darker tones below create a deeply dramatic seascape. During composition, I also read Cormac McCarthy’s classic, Blood Meridian, in which the sun plays an important part illuminating the landscapes of the story. I attempted to translate some of this imagery into music in my piece. Zoomed in, the sun exhibits danger and heat, reflected in the more dramatic passages of my work; zoomed out it exhibits peace, light and beauty, reflected in the more still and melodic passages.
The majority of the piece was written in the countryside, during the lockdown period of 2020, where I was accompanied by the setting sun - not unlike the one depicted in Moran’s painting - many a night of composing. Perhaps this adds yet another layer of meaning behind the title of the work.
J. Järventausta
R≈‰
Britualistic B
'FiercelytheRedSunDescending BurnedHisWayAlongtheHeavens'
/ í'FiercelytheRedSunDescending BurnedHisWayAlongtheHeavens'
WHISPER(a2)* FiercelytheRedSunDescending, BurnedHisWayAlongtheHeavens
WHISPER(a2)*
FiercelytheRedSunDescending, BurnedHisWayAlongtheHeavens
WHISPER(a3)*
íFiercelytheRedSunDescending, BurnedHisWayAlongtheHeavens
/íFiercelytheRedSunDescending, BurnedHisWayAlongtheHeavens WHISPER(a2)*
/í'FiercelytheRedSunDescending BurnedHisWayAlongtheHeavens' WHISPER*
/í'FiercelytheRedSunDescending BurnedHisWayAlongtheHeavens WHISPER*
& swipe(gliss)upwards withthebackofthehammer / (swipe(gliss)fromtoptobottom) BellTree BassDrumsoftmallets
