Work
On the celestial hierarchy (septets: keyboard, percussion, string, woodwind)
by Paul Clift (2015)
Score
On the celestial hierarchy : for flute, clarinet, piano, percussion, violin, viola, cello / Paul Clift.
Library shelf no. 785.3417/CLI 1 [Available for loan]
Work Overview
In composing this piece I tried to explore-in a
more comprehensive manner than in my previous works-the
stratification of music-perceptual layers; by "layers" I do not
mean the juxtaposition of textures or voices in a polyphony, but
rather, a gestalt of distinct and comprehensive musical objects,
each with its own defined social and historical identity. It is
my hope that the various layers comprising this piece may
interact in a novel way in the mind of the listener; for example,
if attention is focused on the piano in the opening section, then
the materials performed by the other instruments should serve to
subtly obscure its clarity while simultaneously yielding gentle
sympathetic resonances which are not entirely stylistic
incongruent. Conversely, if the listener focuses on the cello in
the same opening section, then the aforementioned material played
by the piano, along with that of the viola, violin, flute &
clarinet, should likewise act as subordinate accompaniments that
respond in sympathy. In other words, each layer is intended to
function as a potential perceptual "foreground," if the
listener's ear chooses to focus on it, or as a component of the
"background" if the listener's ear is drawn
elsewhere.
Frequent reference is made to tonality in this
work, although its use alongside protracted layers of noise and
drone-like material is not intended as an ironic dichotomy. In
our innermost ear, when we reminisce about music we have heard in
the past, we find that the material being recalled has been
flattened, dispossessed of its timbral brilliance; and at the
same time, intruding elements swirl around, obscure, and render
non-linear our internal playback. As with a number of my works,
this piece is also an attempt to "orchestrate" this process of
inner listening, of the act of recalling music heard long
ago.
Work Details
Year: 2015
Instrumentation: Flute, clarinet, piano, percussion, violin, viola, cello.
Duration: 10 min.
Difficulty: Advanced
Commission note: Expo Milano 2015
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