Uploaded February 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 days ago
This mockup was created using Sibelius and NotePerformer. There are a few playback issues with tremolos and glissandi that I was unable to fix, despite workarounds that resolved some problems. Note that not all staves are always shown in the video to allow greater visibility for those not viewing it on large screens.
Apologies as well for the video quality; because the score formatting is very touchy, there was no better way to export the video besides PNG files. If you are interested in programming this piece and would like a PDF score to see everything more clearly, please email me at pranav.sivakumar@berkeley.edu.
I began writing "By the Baltic Moors" in October 2023, a little more than halfway through my two years living in Tallinn, Estonia, and completed it in Reykjavik, Iceland in January 2025. This piece is at once an immersive experience, a celebration, and a reimagining of my time spent in the peat bogs of Estonia and Latvia, with particular inspiration from Viru Bog and the Great Ķemeri Bog, the respective centerpieces of Lähemaa and Ķemeri national parks. These ecosystems comprise some of the most compelling and iconic nature in both countries; in their timeless qualities, placid surfaces, unassuming yet teeming intensity, and unspoiled existence, I felt many parallels to my own broader experiences in Estonian society, both positive and negative.
The piece consists of four sections played attacca (without pause).
1. Immersion: an invitation into the essence of peat bogs, constructing the setting and atmosphere, exploring the complex life of this fascinating and ageless ecosystem
2. Vista: the views from the observation towers, illustrations of the full magnificence and vastness of the bogs, moments of climactic emotion
3. Reflections: a kind of emotional mirror image of the first section - relaxation, returning to the ground, taking in small-scale views of the landscape and water surfaces
4. Farewell: last moments on the boardwalk, disappearing back into the forests, departing for home with fresh memories
This mockup was created using Sibelius and NotePerformer. There are a few playback issues with tremolos and glissandi that I was unable to fix, despite workarounds that resolved some problems. Note that not all staves are always shown in the video to allow greater visibility for those not viewing it on large screens.
Apologies as well for the video quality; because the score formatting is very touchy, there was no better way to export the video besides PNG files. If you are interested in programming this piece and would like a PDF score to see everything more clearly, please email me at pranav.sivakumar@berkeley.edu.
I began writing "By the Baltic Moors" in October 2023, a little more than halfway through my two years living in Tallinn, Estonia, and completed it in Reykjavik, Iceland in January 2025. This piece is at once an immersive experience, a celebration, and a reimagining of my time spent in the peat bogs of Estonia and Latvia, with particular inspiration from Viru Bog and the Great Ķemeri Bog, the respective centerpieces of Lähemaa and Ķemeri national parks. These ecosystems comprise some of the most compelling and iconic nature in both countries; in their timeless qualities, placid surfaces, unassuming yet teeming intensity, and unspoiled existence, I felt many parallels to my own broader experiences in Estonian society, both positive and negative.
The piece consists of four sections played attacca (without pause).
1. Immersion: an invitation into the essence of peat bogs, constructing the setting and atmosphere, exploring the complex life of this fascinating and ageless ecosystem
2. Vista: the views from the observation towers, illustrations of the full magnificence and vastness of the bogs, moments of climactic emotion
3. Reflections: a kind of emotional mirror image of the first section - relaxation, returning to the ground, taking in small-scale views of the landscape and water surfaces
4. Farewell: last moments on the boardwalk, disappearing back into the forests, departing for home with fresh memories
![VASILY KALINNIKOV - Symphony No. 2 (Score Video) [N. Järvi]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/IFu1RxsVUhw/mqdefault.jpg "VASILY KALINNIKOV - Symphony No. 2 (Score Video) [N. Järvi]
Performed by the Scottish National Orchestra conducted by Neeme Järvi
00:00 I. Moderato - Allegro non troppo
10:18 II. Andante cantabile
18:25 III. Allegro scherzando
26:32 IV. Andante cantabile - Allegro vivo
Vasily Kalinnikov (1866-1901) was a Russian Romantic composer whose often colorful and energetic music drew from Russian folk melodies. For more on Kalinnikov, see my post about him on my blog: https://unknowncomposers.org/2019/03/25/special-feature-vasily-kalinnikov-the-forgotten-russian-romantic/
Written in 1897 and dedicated to the conductor Aleksandr Vinogradsky, Kalinnikovs second symphony is one of his most important works. Although I personally find the melodies of his first symphony most compelling, the second displays a mastery of form and development while retaining the exuberance and orchestral color so characteristic of his style.
Although they have begun to gain prominence in recent years, Kalinnikovs works remain rarely performed among major orchestras outside the former USSR - I hope this score video will be a small part of changing the status quo. You can find the score on Kalinnikovs IMSLP page (https://imslp.org/wiki/Category:Kalinnikov,_Vasily) under Symphony No. 2 in A Major.")
