Concerto for Two Accordions, Strings and Percussion (Sallinen)

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The Concerto for Two Accordions, Strings and Percussion, Op. 115 by Aulis Sallinen was written in 2019. It was commissioned by the Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra, which premiered it under Anna-Maria Helsing on February 14, 2020 in the 22nd Kokkola Winter Accordion Festival, with soloists Sonja Vertainen and Janne Valkeajoki. [1] The work consists of two movements, titled Duo Concertante I and Duo Concertante II, and lasts about 20 minutes.

While Sallinen was initially commissioned to write a solo accordion concerto, he decided to add a second accordion which he thought provided a more versatile setting and allowed him to switch his brain "into a new position" as he had never written for accordion duo, while the percussion part was meant to work both as a contrasting element and a solid foundation holding the work together. The second movement includes a quote from a Kokkolan folksong. [2]

Reception

Kari Pappinen from Keskipohjanmaa described it as a composition featuring solid but exciting material within a clear continuum, praising its skillful exploration of harmonic colors and interaction between soloists and orchestra. [3]

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