Sonata III

Kalevi Aho (b. 1949) composed Sonata III (2022) for the accordionist Janne Valkeajoki. It is in six fairly short movements performed without a break. The quick first movement (Allegro assai) generates expectations, as it were, trying out options but not fully developing them.

The following Allegretto is a short passacaglia, from which the musical journey continues to a shadowy Allegro misterioso, and on to a frantic Furioso constituting the dynamic zenith and climax of the whole sonata. It then calms down to a singing Allegretto cantabile. The closing Epilogue has flashbacks to the beginning, thus creating a symmetrical overall form. The work ends in silence.