For Percussionist and String Quartet
Program Notes
Pitkä Talvi (Long Winter) was inspired by the composer CHAN Ka Nin’s trip to Helsinki in 2016 at the invitation of percussionist Antti Ohenoja. Chan was fascinated by the long and dark winter of the nordic country. When asked by Mr. Ohenoja to compose a work for his recital. The composer immediately thought of writing a piece about winter.
This work describes:
the anticipation of a harsh Winter,
the eventual acceptance of the force of nature
the appreciation of the beautiful wintry scenery
the anticipation of Spring
the resolution that time marches on
An unusual feature of this work is the essential role played by the conductor, who at one point in the composition, leads the ensemble at a fast pace of tempo changes. The seemingly frustrated gestures suggest our wish to sometimes control things that we could not really control—-like the weather. Nature has a way of taming mankind.
This work is commissioned by Antti Ohenoja with a grant from Sibelius Academy Foundation.