AN EVENING OF NEW MUSIC Wednesday 18 May Reflections
INGE DEKKER
Alexandra Angus piano Reflections is a work which portrays different reflections in the water. Water reflections can be diverse, varying in clarity and in colours, and this piece will take the listener on a journey through the many contrasting reflections. A quiet stream with small ripples blur the effect of the reflections but a still river with no ripples show clarity of the reflection. The movement of ripples varying from small and quick to wide and slow is also displayed. These ideas are portrayed through the contrasting use of tempo, rhythms and texture.
Music for Spring
IMOGEN FERDINANDO
Alexandra Angus piano Chloe McLean violin Will Brand cello ‘Music for Spring’ is a contemporary minimalist piece written for piano trio that explores Reichian rhythms and sweet simple melodies. It is a playful and innocent piece inspired around the idea of the first day of spring; where nature is awakening from a long sleep and there is an air of childlike wonder and naivety.
String Quartet No.2
OLIVER KING
Eden Annesley violin Julian Lachmund violin Edmund Mantelli viola Ben Crosby cello String Quartet No. 2 is an atypical String Quartet composed in two short movements. The two movements, entitled “Fast” and “Slow” respectively, display a contrast not only tempo-wise but in the consideration of timbre, dynamics, and atmosphere. The piece is heavily fragmented in relation to instrumental motifs and interplay, and because of this makes use of the more contemporary cutaway score composing technique. There are no time-signatures and very little beaming rules, although defined rhythms are occasionally present. The first movement is fast and upbeat, quickly changing between aggressive and fast gestures, sprawling outwards towards a harsh final arrival point. There is no sense of harmonic “tension” and “release” present. Instead, the movement makes use of twelve-tone aggregates, atonal motivic manipulation and free-tonality. The second movement is quiet, extremely slow, and ominous. It contains almost dark ambient sensibilities. Timbral expressions are passed between instruments slowly and carefully, and harsh irregular droning harmonies create an extreme sense of unresolved tension. This piece makes use of the twelve-tone serial technique almost entirely throughout, creating twisted yet beautiful harmonic and melodic progressions.
Terrain
MADDY RYAN-KERR
Madi Crosby violin Performed by solo violin, ‘Terrain’ is a piece that mirrors the experience of exploring unknown landforms. Through the use of various virtuosic techniques possible on the violin, unfamiliar trails, unexpected contours and unpredictable paths are uncovered as a new landscape is explored.