Work
Yggdrasil: The World Tree : concerto for contrabass clarinet and wind symphony
by Cameron Lam (2017)
Audio Sample
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Performance by Sue Newsome, Sydney Conservatorium of Music Wind Symphony, John Lynch from the CD Selected Works by AMC Represented Artists, vol. 97. |
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CD
Selected Works by AMC Represented Artists, vol. 97.
Library shelf no. CD 2967 [Available for loan]
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Work Overview
Yggdrasil was born in the void, between world worlds of fire and ice…
This concerto based on Norse myth of Yggdrasil, the World Tree, which connects the nine worlds of Norse cosmology. It plays host to many of the great myths of this culture such as the hanging of Odin and Loki's betrayal of the Frost giants. Here though, I've chosen to look at things on a larger scale - the creation and destruction (Ragnarok) of the worlds with which Yggdrasil is tied.
The work splits the ensemble into three parts Yggdrasil (our contrabass clarinet soloist), Fire: the primordial world of Chaos (woodwinds) and Ice: the primordial world of Stasis (brass). Through combinations of these elements we see the stories of Yggdrasil unfold; the birth of the giant Ash tree Yggdrasil, Rattatosk the squirrel running up and down its trunk spreading nasty rumours the eagle who lives in the canopy and the serpent who lives at the roots, the ancient Norns (fates) tending to the Well of Destiny from which Yggdrasil's roots drink. These stories culminate in the ultimate cataclysm, Ragnarok literally "Twilight of the Gods", and Yggdrasil's rebirth from the ashes of that destruction, marking the beginning of a new world.
Work Details
Year: 2017
Instrumentation: Solo contrabass clarinet, piccolo, 2 1st flute, 2 2nd flute, oboe, cor anglais, 2 bassoons, clarinet in E flat, 2 1st clarinet in B flat, 2 2nd clarinet in B flat, 2 3rd clarinet in B flat, 2 bass clarinets, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, 4 horns in F, 2 1st trumpet, 2 2nd trumpet, 2 3rd trumpet, 2 trombone, bass trombone, 2 euphonium, 2 tuba, percussion (4 players: tam-tam, snare drum, bass drum, glockenspiel, xylophone).
Duration: 23 min.
Difficulty: Advanced
Dedication note: Dedicated to Sue Newsome
Commission note: Commissioned by Sue Newsome.
First performance: by Sue Newsome, Sydney Conservatorium of Music Wind Symphony, John Lynch at Greenway Series: "Of Nature and Humanity" (Verbrugghen Hall) on 24 Aug 2017
Videos
Yggdrasil: The World Tree, composed by Cameron lam |
Performances of this work
24 Aug 2017: at Greenway Series: "Of Nature and Humanity" (Verbrugghen Hall). Featuring Sue Newsome, Sydney Conservatorium of Music Wind Symphony, John Lynch.
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