Prophecy (2007)
(Concerto for accordion and orchestra)

There are four movements in my accordion concerto Prophecy, all performed attacca. The opening movement follows waveform logic and acts like status nascendi. Alternating processes like congelation and melting, converging and dispersing are the main forces of forming the musical material. The color of accordion fades into string chord, the string chord fades into brass and so on. Everything is in constant flow. Ascending and descending whirls meet each other and leave a glittering surface behind.

The second movement gives us the perception of the pulse. Here takes place the dialogue between soloist and orchestra and the development culminates with cadenza which debouches into slow third movement. The accordion part is figurative and it descends slowly towards the lowest register only to climb up again forming then a choral-like melodic line. The forth part is a kind of continuously tension-building surreal dance. 

The title "Prophecy“ refers to the extremely long and rich practice of „seeing things“ through the history of different cultures and traditions. Let us remember that often these people were met with mixed feelings by the majority of the society. They were respected, disdained, hazardous and kind of mad. However, they had access to the beyond. Also the music reflects – from my subjective point of view - the energetic levels of this phenomenon.

Erkki-Sven Tüür