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Work

The hermit thrush and the astronaut (solo double bass)

by Kate Moore (2012)

hermit thrush and the astronaut

Non-Commercial

This item is not commercially available from the Australian Music Centre. We regret that we cannot offer it for sale.

Score

The hermit thrush and the astronaut : solo double bass / Kate Moore.

Library shelf no. Q 787.5/MOO 1 [Available for loan]

Work Overview

Something ancient, something modern, something timeless:

At this moment there is a carved astronaut caught amidst engraved vine leaves on the pillars of an ancient cathedral and there is a bird that has for centuries sung the same song but refuses at all costs, each time it sings, to repeat it in the same way. The bird's tune is captured by a distant memory of an ancient forgotten past. It bubbles to the surface, overflowing with the excitement of coming to life as something new, never heard before.

Written while on residence in New Hampshire, the piece was inspired by the infinitely varied birdsong of the hermit thrush, a native bird to the area, and the stone engraving of an astronaut on the door of the Salamanca cathedral in Spain. The collision of old and new worlds forms the crucible in which the music is forged.

Work Details

Year: 2012

Instrumentation: Double bass.

Duration: 13 min.

Difficulty: Advanced

Dedication note: Dedicated to Robert Black

Written for: Robert Black

Commission note: Written at The MacDowell Colony. Commissioned by The Hartt School/University of Hartford with funds from the Faculty Development Fund

First performance: 5 Jun 13. International Bass Convention Rochester NY, USA

Subjects

Performances of this work

7 Nov 2020: at Bang on a Can: First Fridays with Robert Black (Live streaming event (online only)). Featuring Bang on a Can.

5 Jun 13: International Bass Convention Rochester NY, USA

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