Nordgren, Pehr Henrik

(1944-2008)

Pehr Henrik Nordgren (19.1.1944-25.8.2008) studied musicology at the University of Helsinki and composition as a private pupil of Joonas Kokkonen. In 1970 he received a three-year stipend to study with Yoshio Hasegawa at the Tokyo University of Art and Music in Japan.

Nordgren’s music possesses a personal voice of great strength and originality, which enabled him to travel through all types of musical fields. He was neither a conservative nor a modernist. He saw composing as an outlet for self-expression which, for him, went deeper than speech. According to him, music operates at a narrative level. Formal development is a natural process, one which grows out of the musical material he is working with.

During the year spent studying in Japan Nordgren composed Turning Point for large orchestra, a dynamic piece demonstrating great clarity and economy of means. He also wrote several works employing Japanese instruments, including the Autumnal Concerto for traditional Japanese instruments and symphony orchestra.

Nordgren’s main works are his symphonies. The third, written in 1993, is an extremely powerful and unusual creation in Finnish music and has an uncommon form. Concertos and works featuring one or more solo instruments occupy a key position in Nordgren’s output and he has composed nearly thirty such works, mostly for stringed instruments. They include the Concerto No. 5 for Cello and Orchestra (2005) and the Concerto for Accordion and Orchestra (2005).

Nordgren was long composer in residence of the Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra, and his collaboration with conductor Juha Kangas was active throughout the years. The four-movement suite Portraits of the Country Fiddlers was written for the orchestra, and it has been an incredibly successful homage to folk music – elements of which Nordgren included in his early works particularly. His numerous compositions for string orchestra include a Symphony for Strings, Concerto for Strings, Transe-Choral and Cronaca.

Den svarte munken (The Black Monk, Op. 52) is Nordgren’s chamber opera in 8 scenes. The composer wrote the libretto after the mystic short story by Anton Chekhov. The work was Commissioned by the Royal Swedish Academy of Music and NOMUS and premiered at the Royal Opera in Stockholm on 20 March 1984.

Autumnal

(1974)

Concerto for traditional Japanese instruments and orchestra

Soloists: shakuhachi, shamisen, koto, jushichi-gen (17-stringed koto) 3333-3221-06-hp-pf-cel-str

Duration: 30

Concerto for Accordion

(2005)

for accordion and orchestra

3(II+picc;III=bfl)22(I+ebcl;II+bcl)2-4221-13-hp-str(12.12.10.8.6*) Percussion: Tenor drum, Suspended cymbals (14"&24"), Tam-tam, Crotales, Xylophone, Triangle, Castanets, Slapstick *Double basses 4-6 need 5-string basses

Duration: 24

Concerto for Alto Saxophone

(1995)

for alto saxophone and string orchestra

str(min.55432*) *2nd double bass with 5-string bass

Duration: 22

Concerto for Cello No. 1

(1980)

for cello and string orchestra

str

Duration: 22

Concerto for Cello No. 5

(2005)

for cello and orchestra

2(II+afl)2(II+ca)2(II+bcl)2(II+cfg)-2200-01-str(87543) Percussion: Timpani, Suspended cymbal, Tam-tam, Gong, Crotales, Tubular bell

Duration: 25

Concerto for Clarinet

(1970)

for clarinet, folk instruments and small orchestra

0003(III=cfg)-1010-14-hp-cemb-acc-jouhikko-str Percussioni (4 esecutori): Tamburo militare, Tom-tom, Tamburino, Gran cassa, Piatti, Piatto sospeso (grande), Tamtam, 3 Glocken (Eb, F, Gb), 3 Temple blocks, Triangolo, Castagnetti

Duration: 23

Concerto for Horn

(1996)

for horn and string orchestra

str(min.55432)

Duration: 21

Concerto for Organ and Chamber Orchestra

(2007)

timp-4perc-hp-str(min.55432) Percussion: 2 sets of Rototoms, Suspended cymbal (large), Cymbals a2 (large), Gong (low C; or Tam-tam), Crotales, Triangle, Wood block

Duration: 27

Concerto for Piano Left Hand

(2004)

for piano (left hand) and chamber orchestra

perc-str(min.55432) Percussion: 4 Timpani, Suspended cymbal (large), Triangle, Wood block, Two-cord yarn* *Two-cord yarn (or patent-strong yarn, ”karhunlanka”), rosin and rubber dish-washing gloves. Tie a thick natural gut string and connect e.g. a bass drum and double bass bridge. Wipe and pull around the string with rubber dish-washing gloves topped with rosin to produce the sound. The method is known as the devil's fiddle (Waldteufel or ”pirunviulu”).

Duration: 20

Concerto for Piano No. 2

(2001)

for piano, strings and percussion

perc-str(min.55432) Percussion (1 player): 4 Tom-toms, Crotales, Wood block, Claves, Kameso

Duration: 0

Concerto for Strings

(1982)

str(min.44221)

Duration: 22

Concerto for Violin No. 3

(1981)

for violin and string orchestra

str

Duration: 18

Concerto for Violin No. 4

(1994)

for violin and string orchestra

str

Duration: 29

Cronaca

(1991)

for string orchestra

I. Adagio 11'00 II. Duo 5'30 III. Agitato 4'30 IV. Epilogo 8'00

Duration: 29

De sole et luna

(2006)

for mixed choir and strings

str(54332)

Duration: 24

Den svarte munken

Chamber Opera in 8 Scenes (1981)

for 7 singers and chamber orchestra

1(+picc+afl)1(+ca)1(+ebcl+bcl)1(+cfg)-0200-02-pf(+cel+cemb)-str(min.21221) Percussion: Timpani, Snare drum, Bass drum, Suspended cymbals, Tamtam, Vibraphone, Triangle, Temple blocks, Claves, Bell plate

Duration: 80

Double Concerto for Viola and Double Bass

(1993)

for viola, double bass and chamber orchestra

perc-pf-str(min.66432)

Duration: 32

Hate – Love

(1987)

for violoncello and string orchestra

str(min.44321)

Duration: 17

Kallioon piirretty

(1997)

for 19 string instruments

str(55432) 2nd Double Bass requires a low B string

Duration: 13

Kesämusiikkia

(1977)

for orchestra

2(II+picc)222-2210-10-pf-str

Duration: 9

Koko maailma valittanee [arr.]

[Sales Material]

Hengellinen kansansävelmä Lapualta

str requests for this POD to hire@fennicagehrman.fi

Duration: 5

Kuvia maaseudun menneisyydestä

Kansanmusiikkimukaelmia (2006)

for harp and string orchestra

hp-str(55432)

Duration: 15

Portraits of Country Fiddlers [SALES MATERIAL]

(1976)

for string orchestra

str For sale at https://webshop.fennicagehrman.fi/

Duration: 18

Sinfonia jousille

[Sales Material] (1978)

str For sale at https://webshop.fennicagehrman.fi/

Duration: 20

Solemnity – Euphony

(2002)

for 19 string instruments

str(55432)

Duration: 13

Symphony No. 1

(1974)

for orchestra

3(II&III+picc)3(III+ca)3(II&III+ebcl;III+bcl)3(III+cfg)-4331-14 Percussione (4 esecutori): Snare drum, Bass drum, Tambourine, Cymbals a2, 2 Suspended cymbals, Tamtam, Crotales, Xylophone, Vibraphone, Bell plate (G#), Triangle, Claves, Temple blocks, Castanets, Chimes, Anvil

Duration: 29

Symphony No. 3

(1993)

for orchestra

3(II+picc;III+afl)3(III+ca)3(I+ebcl;III+bcl)3(III=cfg)-433(III+btrb)1-16-pf-str Percussion (6 players): Timpani, Snare drum, 2 Tom-toms, Bass drum, Cymbals a2, 2 Suspended cymbals, Tamtam, Xylophone, Vibraphone, Chimes, Triangle, Wood block, Bell plate, Slapstick

Duration: 31

Symphony No. 5

(1998)

for orchestra

3(II+picc;III+bfl)3(III+ca)3(I+ebcl;III=bcl)3(III=cfg)-4331-15-hp-pf-str(15-15-12-10-8) Percussion (5 players): Snare drum, Tenor drum, Bass drum, Tambourine, Bongos, 2 Suspended cymbals (small & large), Tamtam, Gong (low C), Crotales, Xylophone, Vibraphone, Triangle, Wood block, Sand blocks, Chimes, Bell plate (large), Slapstick

Duration: 33

Symphony No. 6

Interdependence (2000)

for soprano, tenor, mixed choir and orchestra

3(II+picc;III+afl)2(II+ca)2(I+ebcl;II+bcl)2-4230-16-1-str Lyricist: David Suzuki

Duration: 0

Symphony No. 7

(2003)

for orchestra

3(III+picc)3(III+ca)3(I+ebcl;III=bcl)3(III=cfg)-433(III=btrb)1(=cbtuba)-14-hp-str* Percussion (4 players): Snare drum, Tambourine, Bass drum, Cymbals a2, Suspended cymbal, Tamtam, Xylophone, Crotales, Chimes, Triangle, Wood block, Castanets * The lower half of the double basses need a low B string.

Duration: 28

Symphony No. 8

(2006)

for orchestra

2(II+picc+afl)22(I+ebcl;II+bcl)2-4220-13-hp-pf(+cel)-str Percussion (3 players): Tenor drum, Tambourine, Bass drum, Suspended cymbal, Tamtam, Glockenspiel, Tubular bells, Wood block, Castanets, Slapstick

Duration: 26

Taivaanvalot

Kalevalaistaruja (1984)

for soloists, mixed choir, children's choir, traditional instruments and ensembles

1111-1000-02-pf-cemb-str* Folk instruments: 5 Kanteles with 5 strings, 2 Kanteles with 36 strings, Bowed lyre (=jouhikko), Whistles and horns, Bullroarer (=suhistuspuu), Shepherd drum (=lepenälauta), Shaman drum Percussion (2 players): Timpani, Snare drum, 2 Tom-toms, Bass drum, Suspended cymbal, 2 Sizzle cymbals, Bells, Triangle, Claves Soloists (S & T) Mixed choir (SATB) Children's choir (SA) * Two string ensembles (VL1-VL2-VLA-VC-DB)

Duration: 48

Transe – Choral

(1985)

for 15 string instruments

str(54321)

Duration: 27

Turning Point, The

(1972)

for orchestra

4(II&III+picc;IV+afl)3(III+ca)4(I+ebcl;IV=bcl)3(III+cfg)-4432(II=cbtuba)-14-pf-cemb-2hp-str Percussion (4 players): Snare drum, Bass drum, Cymbals a2, 3 Suspended cymbals, Tamtam, Crotales, Marimba, Xylophone, Vibraphone, Tubular bells, Metal chimes, Wood block, 5 Temple blocks

Duration: 13

Pehr Henrik Nordgren: String quintet
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Pehr Henrik Nordgren: Come da lontano for guitar
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String Quartet No. 11 (III Lamentations, Adagio)
Tempera Quartet
Alba Records (ABCD 308)

Symphony No. 3 (VI Epilogue)
Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, cond. Sakari Oramo
(Ondine Records CD-92-2

Portraits of Country Fiddlers (I The Plucker)
Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra, cond. Juha Kangas
(BIS Records CD-766-2

TRANSE-CHORAL
Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra, cond. Juha Kangas
(BIS Records CD-1356)