Viitala Sakari: Winter Time (2010), score

Winter Time (2010)

Winter Time was composed by a need for new percussion ensemble pieces. The order was made by Sakari´s percussion teacher in his hometown: Kokkola, Finland. Sakari was asked to compose from four to five new pieces per year for the Conservatory´s ensemble to perform. Sakari premiered all the pieces with the ensemble and the teacher Mika Viik was conducting.

Winter Time is composed for percussion quintet and it is in two movements. The music describes winter and in the first movement "Snowing" it is snowing genttly. In the second movement "Skating" we go skating to the skating rink nearby and the atmosphere is Christmassy.

The instrumentation includes mallet percussion such as glockenspiel, vibraphone, marimba, and Tubular bells. Also some unpitched percussion and Timpani is written in this piece. In the second movement the percussion player has a challenge to play Tubular Bells and Sleigh bells at the same time. However, that part can be divided for two players.

These percussion ensemble works are composed from a pedagogical perspective and for Ostrobothnia Conservatory percussion ensemble. The parts follow the curtain level of the ensemble and the parts are also individually made for every player keeping in mind what they are capable of playing. Different music genres and styles weren't a pedagogical choice but came with my own intuition with each piece during the composing time.