Kalevi Aho

Solo 15

Kalevi Aho's Solo XV for marimba and three triangles (2018) proceeds to a motor-like beat in music dominated by semiquavers momentarily interrupted by eight short triangle entries. The triangle parts gradually get longer towards the end, and during them the soloist has a chance to change the marimba sticks from soft to hard and back. The triangles also create an ethereal, lingering contrast to the motoric music. Solo XV was composed in November 2018 as a Christmas present for Austrian percussionist Martin Grubinger, who had performed Aho's percussion concerto Sieidi dozens of times in many countries.