Program notes:

This piece attempts to illustrate the ancient but fragile beauty of northern Swedish nature. Though I do not live in the north of Sweden permanently I visit it regularly and the vast landscapes and scenes never sieze to inspire. This piece serves a secondary purpouse of preserving the impressions I have had of these landscapes in music as they unfortunately disappear more and more each year.

The title of the work, Luohti, is a northern Sami (the indigenous people of Sweden) word for song, and the verb from which the word Jojk (a well-known type of Sami singing that often embodies people or nature) stems. As this piece is, in my mind, an homage or song to nature, I found it fitting. Titles in the score will be given in the original Swedish.

-Oskar Österling, 2022

Movements:

I- Snöfall: inspired by the first snowfall on a winter day in the northern swedish town of Kiruna: the snow starts falling as children look on through the windows.

II- Döda Löv: inspired by the melancholy feeling of dead leaves on an autumn day.

III- Myren: based on the Vasikkavuoma mire in northern Sweden. This vast mire stretches for many miles and has been a source of work for generations. I've tried to convey a feeling of noble antiquity,

but also mystery.

IV- Skymning: inspired by the mysterious atmosphere of dusk during midnight sun.

V- Gryning: depiction of a dawn scene, with woodwinds imitating bird callls I've attempted to transcribe from different locations (though they have been subject to artistic alterations).