Australian Music Centre | Breaking sound barriers

Work Overview

This sonata in 6 movements is written in contemplation of the theories and ideas of a parallel universe. The science is mind-bending and developmental; but regardless, it highlights existential questions that are at the heart of much of my music. Who are we? Are we unique? Does what we do matter? Where is this all going? The 15th in a series of sonatas written in the new millennium, it was written intensely over the last 7 days of August 2019, while in residence at the Akiyoshidai International Art Village in Japan. The sonata is written for my long-time University of Melbourne colleague, Peter Neville. The premiere performance was given by Peter Neville and Coady Green in Hanson Dyer Hall (Ian Potter Southbank Centre) on 27 April, 2021.

Work Details

Year: 2019

Instrumentation: Piano, percussion (4-octave vibraphone, crotales (lower octave), triangle, 3 thin suspended crash cymbals, metal bowl).

Duration: 22 min.

Difficulty: Advanced

Contents note: I. celebrate being unique -- II. daughter universe -- III. space time is flat -- IV. eternal inflation -- V. universes can start repeating themselves -- VI. the multiverse.

Written for: Peter Neville

First performance: by Peter Neville, Coady Green — 27 Apr 21. Hanson Dyer Hall, Ian Potter Southbank Centre, Melbourne

The percussionist will require a bow for the vibraphone and crotales, together with regular soft mallets (vibes and cymbals), and a wooden mallet for the metal bowl and standard metal triangle beater. The crotales are generally envisaged with hard rubber mallets, though some passages for crotales and triangle may require using the stick end of the regular vibraphone mallets if there is no time for stick changes. If crotales are not available, a glockenspiel may be substituted. If a 4–octave vibraphone is not available, a regular 3–octave instrument may be possible with some careful octave adjustments (though that is less ideal). The piano part involves some limited plucking and strumming inside of the piano, but no preparation is required. If playing inside the piano is not possible, those notes can be played in regular fashion at the keyboard.

Composed while in residency at the Akiyoshidai International Art Village