Australian Music Centre | Breaking sound barriers

Work Overview

I am very attracted to the idea of bridging cultures, of lush sounds and lyricism, so I was pleased to accept a commission to write a short four minute piece for the Basso Modern Duo, a leading Solo Bass and Piano duo based in New York. The Duo have a mission "to create a new repertoire for bass and piano from composers all over the world, and to bring these works to diverse audiences, communicating beautiful, lyrical music...from different backgrounds and experiences than that of our own."

Allan Von Schenkel's instrument, the Solo Bass, is tuned ADGC, one fourth higher than the orchestra bass. "I do this", he said, "because it has a colorful solo voice with a wide range and because it removes many of the technical limitations of the bass" and "I read music at the sounding pitch of the cello."

I wrote this piece soon after completing a major commission for voice and orchestra, Gambar Gambar Jawa...Images of Java and in writing From a Lake of Honey I soon realized I had not gone far from Java...for the images and sounds which inspire it might be found in the beautiful landscape I held in my mind, a place you might find at sunset on the island of Bali, a 'lake of honey'. Other influences were the lush tones which may be drawn from the double bass and the musical conversations which the instrument may have with the piano. There are also the obvious influences of scale and rhythmic patterns associated with the gamelan.

From a Lake of Honey is a piece which might 'sing'. It is really a landscape of the mind, a simple musical work, which gives opportunities for an imaginative collaboration between performers and audience as they 'journey' to a 'lake of honey'.

Work Details

Year: 2007

Instrumentation: Double bass (tuned to A D G C), piano.

Duration: 4 min.

Difficulty: Advanced — AMEB Grade 7-8

Dedication note: For the Basso Moderno Duo, Allan Von Schenkel and Kristen Williams

Commission note: Commissioned by Allan Von Schenkel for performance by Basso Moderno Duo.

First performance: by Basso Moderno Duo — 7 Mar 08. University of Hartford, Connecticut, USA