Merilaeinen, Usko: Aikaviiva

Concerto No. 2 for Orchestra

Meriläinen's second orchestral concerto (the first dates from the 1950's) is a musical study of the concept of time. The strings provide an element of stasis, while other orchestral sections are used as active blocks. The extensive percussion section is used to discreetly mark the passing of time and plays on the edge of silence. The work's ending is bound together by a magical F sharp pedal-point in the horns.