EDITION WILHELM HANSEN WH33826
Joel Järventausta
SONGS OF EMPTY LANDSCAPES
for Alto Saxophone, Violin, Viola, Cello and Piano (2020)
Score
Songs of Empty Landscapes was commissioned by Uusinta Ensemble, with the generous support of Teosto
The premiere was given by Uusinta Ensemble at Juhlasali Konsu, Tampere Biennale Festival, Tampere (Finland), on 28 August 2020
Duration = ca. 17 minutes
Copyright © 2025 Edition Wilhelm Hansen A/S, Copenhagen
Music engraving in Sibelius
Publisher’s editor: Katrine Gregersen Dal
Edition Wilhelm Hansen, A/S Bornholmsgade 1A 1266 København K Denmark
www.wisemusicclassical.com
Instrumentation
Alto saxophone
Violin
Viola
Cello
Piano
Composer’s notes
Score in C
This work was inspired by Bruce Percy’s minimalist nature photography. These photographs depict a variety of ‘empty’ landscapes from white snowy plains to vast deserted lands.
In the music, I attempted to capture some of the vagueness, emptiness and apparent simplicity that these photographs, or indeed, empty landscapes evoke. Each movement is a piece of its own providing a window into one landscape, yet musical material is shared throughout the whole work.
I Prelude opens the piece with the lonesome singing of the violin.
II A thick texture dominates Haze. This is punctured by ringing chords, like church bells sounding in the mist.
III Snowriver is an abstract depiction of a cold running river in deep winter.
IV Lullaby is a slow, wistful piano trio.
V Earth Red is inspired by barren, scorched desert landscapes.
VI In Grey-Blue the fragile, melancholic soundworld, reflects upon undulating hills of snow-covered lands.
VII Postlude concludes the work, with the low humming of the cello.
J.Järventausta
V
VI
VII
Contents
8-11)
12-15)
(pages 17-20)
(pages 21-23)
(pages 24-25)