This lyrical and difficult piece is the second string solo work appearing in successive years by leading Finnish composer Aulis Sallinen (born in 1935). They encapsulate a brief and rapid stylistic shift away from the then-dominant twelve-tone school of composition into a new, tonal but freely chromatic style and the emergence of the composer's true, neo-Romantic modern style. Sallinen wrote this serious but appealing four-and-a-half-minute work as part of a violin competition. It is common for international instrumental competitions to include a specially composed test piece of a new composition that entrants have to learn, physically master, and decide how to interpret without any recourse to established history. The international Sibelius Competition of 1965 added a second layer to the contest: The Finnish Cultural Fund set up a competition to select the best violin solo work as test piece. Sallinen is a composer who does not care to fall back on obvious virtuosity and bright effects to advance his musical argument and his Cadenza for Violin Solo (which did go on to win the competition and become the official test piece) is no exception. Sallinen loads the work with difficulties, including difficult double-stops including octaves that are designed to expose any weakness in intonation. Toward the end, such typical technical effects as left-hand pizzicato and specialized bowing techniques make their appearance, but by now a serious mood prevails and prevents these devices from taking on their familiar role as meaningless flash and dash. Instead, they enhance the impression of thoughtfulness and raise the tension until the satisfying conclusion.

© Joseph Stevenson, All Music Guide