thenameisgsarci | Erkki Melartin - 24 Preludes Op. 85 (audio + sheet music) @thenameisgsarci | Uploaded 10 months ago | Updated 1 hour ago
Erkki Gustaf Melartin (7 February 1875, Käkisalmi – 14 February 1937, Helsinki) was a Finnish composer, conductor, and teacher of the late-Romantic and early-modern periods. Melartin is generally considered to be one of Finland's most significant national Romantic composers, although his music—then and now—largely has been overshadowed by that of his exact contemporary, Jean Sibelius, the country's most famous composer. The core of Melartin's oeuvre consists of a set of six (completed) symphonies, as well as is his opera, Aino, based on a story from the Kalevala, Finland's national epic, but nevertheless in the style of Richard Wagner.

Melartin's other notable works include the popular wedding tune, Festive March (1904; from the incidental music to the play, Sleeping Beauty); the symphonic poem, Traumgesicht (1910); the Violin Concerto in D minor (1913); the Kalevalic symphonic poem for soprano and orchestra, Marjatta (1914); The Blue Pearl, Finland's first large-scale ballet (1930); and a set of four string quartets, composed between 1896 and 1910. In addition, a number of Melartin's songs for solo voice and piano have found a lasting place in the Finnish repertoire. Two additional projected symphonies, the Seventh and Eighth, might have further solidified his reputation, both within Finland and internationally, but the development of each was cut short by Melartin's death, at age 62.

In the 24 Preludes Op. 85 (1913–1920), Melartin joins the tradition of many keyboard composers, and perhaps also plans to give a response to the challenge set by his Finnish colleague Selim Palmgren, a contemporary of his and a composer specialized in piano music, who had composed his 24 preludes already in 1907. Melartin started the work in 1913, but it took him seven years to complete the cycle. Stylistically, the preludes are connected both with classical and romantic models, but also with Debussy, Ravel, Scriabin and Sibelius. Each prelude has a descriptive title, which reflects the musical idea, like ‘Japanese Cherry Blossom’ or ‘Autumn Night’.

(Wikipedia, CD booklet)

Please take note that the audio AND sheet music ARE NOT mine. Feel free to change the video quality to a minimum of 480p for the best watching experience.

Original audio: Maria Lettberg (Delta Classics, 2012)
(youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kan-gV-zMKNc0ZaZ_240J62LAK99PCCgA)
Original sheet music: imslp.org/wiki/Preludes,_Op.85_(Melartin,_Erkki)