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COM
TRACK 7 Oskar MERIKANTO (1868-1924)
Valse lente op 33
Oskar Merikanto is maybe less known than his son Aarre, who taught a generation
of Finnish composers, but he was the first to compose the first opera in Finnish,
Pohjan neiti. Oskar Merikanto studied in Leipzig and Berlin, returning to Finland to
make a career as a conductor, organist and composer. This waltz dates from 1898.
Playing tips: This is a romantic piece, full of sweetness and charm. The LH is the
accompaniment to a lyrical RH melody. Bar 17 sees a change in atmosphere – keep
INTERMEDIATE
the RH wrist supple here, or it might become tight. Take note of the sudden pp at
bar 25. It’s very dramatic. The main melody returns at bar 37. You will notice a lot
of changes in tempo throughout (‘rall’, ‘a tempo’, ‘poco rall’ etc), and yes, you need
to work on that ebb and flow, but don’t even forget the underlying pulse.
Pedal tips: There are some helpful markings on the score. Our pianist Chenyin Li
advises that you should remove the pedal whenever you see a rest in the LH.

Tranquillamente
f- ™
rall.

b3 -™ F- ™ f f f f™ j
1 4-1 5

&b 4
1 4 2
1

f f f F
3

f f nf f ™ f f

{
f™
mp
ff ff fff fff ff ff ffF nf ff
? bb 43 ΠΠf f f f
f Œ
f f f f f
° ° °
5 2 1 1

ø ø ø
1 2 5
4

a tempo poco rall. a tempo

b ™ -™ F- ™
7
j
4

&b f f f f f™
4 2 1

f f f f nf f ™ f f f F

{
f™
ff f ff ff fff fff ff ff
? bb f Πf f ΠΠΠf f
f f f f f
° sim.

. (un poco più mosso)

f
5 5 5 5
(quasi Adagio) a tempo
5
3 3

-f ™ f f
poco a poco 4 2 3

ff
5 5
∏∏∏∏∏

ten. 1 1 2 1

™™ ™™ f ™ ff ff fff fff- ™™™

2 1

™
3

b
4
13
f f f ™
5
f
f f f f f f fff Œ
fff ff fff
&b
4

#f

{
f™
.
ff ff f f
? bb ff Œ f Œ f Œ Œ Œ ™™ ™™ f #f f f
f
∏∏∏∏

f f f f. f.
f 5
5 5 5

rit.
5 5
5 4 5 5 5 5
4

f ™ ff ff fff fff- ™™™ fff ff fff ff- ™™ ff fff fff FF ™™

4 1 4 4 4 4
19 1

b ™
1 1 2 2 1

™
5

& b nfff ™™ f#ff fff fff FF ™

5 3

f f™ f
3

f™

{ ? bb
f.
f
ff
mf

f.
f
f f
f.
f
ff
f. f
ff
f.
f
ff
f. f
ff

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TRACK 7 Oskar MERIKANTO (1868-1924) INTERMEDIATE
Valse lente op 33
(Andante)

b f- ™ bf- ™
2 3 4
1

b
25 1 2 5 a tempo

&b nff ff ff FF Œ ff nff ff FF Œ ff ™™™ ff ff f F ™™ fffff

3

ff ff ff ff ff ff FF ™™™

{
f f f ff FF ™ f F
pp
f f f . .
n ff f f f
f f f. f f. f. f f.
f. f. f. f.
?b Πff
b f Œ
f f f. f.
f 5
1 4
2 1

>
rall. a tempo

b >ff ™™ f f ff f f f f -™ F- ™
33
b
& f ™ f f ff FF ™™ f ffffff ff fff fFF ™™ f f F
f ™ f f nf f ™ f

{
.
f. f.
mf p

? bb f. f. f. ff ff ff fff fff ff ff
‰ Œ Œ f f
f. f . . f
f f f f
.
1 2 1

.
(quasi Adagio) poco a poco a tempo
f “f.”
f- ™ ff ff
∏∏∏∏∏

ten. poco rall.

f f
b f f™ . f
41

∏∏∏∏∏
f f ™ ™™ bff ™™™ f f f ff f Œ
f f
f f
&b f f ff Œ

{
f f.
.
.
p
ff ff
pp

? bb ff Œ f Œ f Œ Œ Œ ™™ bfff Œ f Œ?
f f. &f
f .
∏∏∏∏

f f f f.
f

3
4 2
poco vivo
.
2 5 1

f U
2 4 2
molto rit.
f f
1

f ff f
2 4
rall.
b f™
47
f f f f f FF ™™
1

f f f f
& b bff ™™ ∑ f f
ff f ff ff
ff f Œ
fff F ™

{
. . . .
.
f.
pp

? bb bff. f. U
Œ ∑ ∑ Œ Œ ff F ™
f. f. FF ™™

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