| IS ANYBODY THERE? | 2004
Solo clarinet (bassett-clar. in A) and 15 strings (5 first violins, 4 second violins, 3 violas, 2 cellos, 1 bass) 12’
comment
Is Anybody There was commissioned by NOMUS for Staffan Mårtensson and premiered by him with the Musica Vitae ensemble from Växjö, Sweden. In this piece I tried to let the soloist tread a very narrow path between being individual and impersonal. He is indeed in a main role, but sometimes has a very mechanical part to interpret. Although the role is quite difficult, it is not “heroic”. I guess the main concept of this piece has to do with individuality and absence and as part of this the five first violins play most of the time with metal mutes, being alienated from their usual leading role.
Main performances
Växjö, Gothemburg, Helsingborg, November 2004,
Épinal, September 2009
comment
This is simply an arrangement of the two part invention, done as a respectful analysis with exclamation marks here and there. I have prepared but not executed a couple of other such arrangements.
| HZH: STRING QUARTET N.1 | 1999 (Casa Ricordi) string quartet 16’
comment
The idea at the basis of my first string quartet is that of a landscape which transforms into words, which on their turn transform into verse, and eventually, pure rhythm. The rhythm can then flow into a new landscape and the process can begin over again. In music, the above terms - landscape, speech and verse - easily translate into timbre, harmony and rhythm. The transition between these three aspects of a single material has interested me for quite some time. During my work on the quartet they were symbolized by the German terms Haut, Zunge, Herz, which then became part of the title: HZH. The piece was commissioned by the Musik-Biennale Berlin for the Arditti quartet and premiered in March 1999.
main performances
Konserthaus Berlin, March, 1999 (The Arditti Quartet): Berlin Biennale
NMH, Oslo, October 2001 (same): The Ultima Festival
