Illuminatio (2008)
(Concerto for Viola and Orchestra)

Illuminatio for viola and orchestra could be seen as a pilgrimage towards eternal light. Then the music starts to grow like a plant from the seed. The basic particles for the viola part cell are major 2nd which flows into unison through glissando and the subsequent overtone tremolo.

The musical development follows a very organic and logic waveform, each wave bigger and stronger than previous. The more we reach closer to the end, the more orchestral part gets agitated and even „runs over“ the soloist at the last culmination. The relationship between the soloist and the orchestra is always changing. They feed each other with continuously renewing material and build up shifting soundscapes and rhythmic layers of different intensity.

I appreciate Lars Anders Tomter and Martin Müller’s suggestion to write a work for viola and orchestra.

Erkki-Sven Tüür