A Broken Spirit
for solo baritone and ensemble
A Broken Spirit is a setting of three poems by Nat Smith. The slow first movement The Broken Spirit is somewhat solemn and lyrical. The pitches sung by the baritone voice are harmonic partials from the chords in the piano part. The faster second movement Smoke (inspired by the poem of the same name and dedicated to the pianist Ian Buckle) is for ensemble only. The opening juxtaposes scalic figures from the flute and vibraphone with brutal chordal attacks from the piano. After the fast opening of stabbing chords and scalic flourishes has cleared, the piece gradually becomes softer and more rhythmically fragmented. This soon takes us into a more mystical and dreamlike section that is interrupted along the way by a series of bell-like chords. As the final section of the piece approaches, the aggressive and forceful nature returns, and this becomes juxtaposed with other previous ideas. The third and final movement A Knife Or An Eye (dedicated to the baritone Nigel Cliffe) projects a more tranquil ambience with smooth, flowing lines from the vibraphone and piano, although this too is interrupted at various points. There is a somewhat unstable feeling of tempo in this movement, brought about by the rhythmic structures scattered around that give the feeling of rhythms accelerating and sometimes gradually becoming slower. A common thread that runs throughout both the first and third movements is the use of the spoken voice, which not only gives the work its theatrical feeling, but also accentuates the meaning behind the poems and the strong belief of the poet.
Beauty That Must Die
for sarangi, tabla and ensemble
Over approximately seven minutes, the western instruments of the ensemble explore the gradual decay of the 15th harmonic down to the 8th harmonic of a low C. Both the vibraphone and piano share a version of this natural harmonic series at equal tempered pitch, unlike the harp and the ‘cello who share a version of the same series at harmonic pitch. The sarangi part is largely improvised around a given cell of pitches (derived from the harmonic series of a low E). It is only towards the end of the piece that the instruments from the ensemble join in with the linear gestures explored by the sarangi. The piece, which is dedicated to Aruna Narayan, Hanif Khan and Endymion, takes part of a line in the poem Ode To Melancholy by John Keats as both its title and starting point.
Burlesque For Barrie
for solo trombone and live electronics
The opening section marked ‘crazy and loud’ is based around a four-note motif, which becomes gradually distorted as other pitches are introduced. This prefigures the calmer second section, arguably more lyrical in nature, and explores the intervallic relationships first heard during the opening. The piece also makes use of a pedal bass drum, which is most prominently heard during the transition between sections. A cadenza-like passage soon emerges, with sporadic gestures and other motifs from earlier in the piece being reintroduced. It is only in the final section of the piece that the trombone and the pedal bass drum join forces in a partly improvised fashion. The piece is dedicated to the trombonist Barrie Webb.
Coming Together
for ensemble
Coming Together is a set of three miniatures that gradually unites all the members of the ensemble. The first movement Never Together is a continuous monodic line dispersed amongst the ensemble – at no point to any of the ensemble members play with each other. This is followed by the longer second movement Against Each Other where the ensemble members appear in conflict with each other, beginning their entries individually. The structure of this movement relates to its title in other ways too: sections appear against each other, fast material versus slower tempi and pitched sonorities juxtapose unpitched effects. The final movement Always Together is a short chorale, where all the ensemble members are united to form a homophonic texture. Although mostly in four parts, more pitches are gradually added to the chords as the progression nears its conclusion – the penultimate chord consisting of nine pitches (one for each member of the ensemble). This is followed by the concluding gesture of all the instruments joining forces to present an E flat, spanning seven octaves.
Feeding The Addiction
for ensemble, live electronics and video
The title Feeding The Addiction comes from the desire to explore the various ways in which the harmonic series can be presented in relation to so-called ‘extended’ instrumental techniques. The piece is largely created from a mixture of three different approaches: the resultant harmonics of various multiphonic fingerings, the use of natural harmonic glissandi, and versions of the series in equal temperament all form much of the figurative, harmonic and timbral substance. However much is owed also to the four electronic audio delays, which contribute to the evolving sense of harmony and direction of the music. A live video along with a superimposed video delay (paired up with the first audio delay of 3.5 seconds) operates during the course of the piece too. The transience of musical performance is highlighted here, as both the delays through speakers and on screen offer the chance to revisit something (albeit in a different context) that is now lost in the past. The piece is dedicated to Ensemble Interakt and special thanks are due to Jonathan Green for building the electronics and video patches.
From The Silence
for four cymbals
It is now widely argued that silence does not really exist, and the sounds that emerge during From The Silence seek to enhance, disturb and destroy the sonic architecture that already exists during the context of a performance. The piece is dedicated to the Brake Drum Assembly.
Injured Love
for ensemble
Although largely based around both a two-note motif and a separate three-note motif (and loosely structured as a series of instrumental solos), the various possibilities in terms of articulation and timbre on each individual instrument becomes foreground throughout the piece. The title Injured Love is derived from part of a line in the poem The Canonization by John Donne, in which he asks ‘Alas, alas, who’s injur’d by my love?’ Indeed the feeling of despair and melancholy here became the inspiration for the piece. The piece is dedicated to the conductor Zsolt Nagy.
Let The Blood Decay
for two clarinets
Starting in the extreme high register of the clarinet in Eb and gradually working down through the clarinet family to the lowest possible note on the bass clarinet, Let The Blood Decay is structured around a series of motifs that appear and reappear in variety of guises. The title comes from a distorted version of part of line in the poem Song by John Donne, in which he describes his emotion (when his beloved is crying) as being his ‘lifes blood doth decay’. The piece is dedicated to the clarinet duo Diablo.
Slaughtering Nature
for solo bass flute and live electronics
The pitches used in Slaughtering Nature are derived from a version of the natural harmonic series in equal temperament, which are juxtaposed throughout the piece by the resulting harmonics from various multiphonic fingerings. The title refers to the manner in which the pitches are presented, often revealing a wide range of different articulations (most notably key-clicks and notes moving from air to conventional tone, along with aggressive slap-tongues and breathy attacks). The piece is dedicated to the flautist Carla Rees.
Three Of A Kind
for solo musette in Eb, oboe and cor anglais
The title Three Of A Kind refers to the three members of the oboe family employed in the piece. The painting Study after Velazquez’s Portrait of Pope Innocent X by Francis Bacon inspired the first movement Shout Out Loud for solo musette in Eb. Fast scalic passages form much of the material, alongside alternating between notes played conventionally and the same notes played as harmonics. This technique appears frequently in the other movements too. Shout Out Loud is dedicated to the oboist Christopher Redgate.
Whilst the opening motif at the beginning of the second movement Hold On Tight becomes the starting point for the pitch structures explored throughout the piece, the main inspiration came from the painting The Spinning Top by Hans Belmer. The somewhat motoric feeling of the opening soon becomes juxtaposed with more rhythmically fragmented gestures. Despite this idea being carried over into the second section, scales derived from the harmonic series become prominent. The third section restates the motoric idea from the opening, but the overall feeling and ambience soon becomes more relaxed, taking the piece into a mournful, solemn ending. Hold On Tight is dedicated to the oboist Edwin Roxburgh.
Although Deep Desires reveals a fondness for the bottom register of the cor anglais, of equal significance too is the manner in which the motivic material gradually transforms to reveal distorted and new gestures. Deep Desires is dedicated to the oboist George Caird.
Two Tributes
for solo flute
It is now widely argued that perhaps two of the greatest flute teachers of the 20th century were Marcel Moyse and Geoffrey Gilbert. Both pioneered the so-called French style of flute playing, and stressed the importance of practicing exercises to aid techniques such as varying tone colours, finger agility and breathing. Such methods of playing and practicing have now been passed down through generations of flautists, indeed many flute students today find themselves practicing the various exercises that both Moyse and Gilbert had published. Two Tributes is a thank you; the first movement Gavotte For Gilbert is dedicated to Geoffrey Gilbert, and the final movement Melody For Moyse is dedicated to Marcel Moyse.
Unable To Resist
for solo piano
The layering of different activity forms a substantial part of Unable To Resist. The title is indicative of the obsessive nature of two motifs, which although stated individually at first, find themselves juxtaposed in the third section of the piece. The piece is dedicated to the pianist and composer Rolf Hind.
Uncontrolled Anger
for solo violin
A large assortment of playing techniques (that produce both pitched and non-pitched sonorities) are gradually revealed throughout, with such timbral possibilities being the driving force in Uncontrolled Anger, which was inspired by such a feeling. The piece is dedicated to the violinist Darragh Morgan.
Violent Shallow Eyes
for solo clarinet in Bb
The title is a rewording of part of a line in the poem How by Philip Larkin. The idea of individual pitches acting as a central axis or pedal point is a common thread that runs throughout the piece. This becomes clear from the start, with arabesque-like gestures resolving onto the central axis note, and prefigures the idea of the second section of the piece where the central axis note is reiterated as a gesture that gradually becomes faster or occasionally slower. The material from these two sections becomes fused together to form a transition passage, which takes us into the central section of the piece. Here the emphasis is largely upon texture, with a series of multiphonics based on a middle F#. In the fourth section of the piece, whilst material is derived from the opening and distorted, the idea of a central axis note becomes clear again. This soon gives way to the final section of the work, where both a textural and timbral emphasis becomes clear again, with harmonics juxtaposing notes played conventionally. The piece is dedicated to the clarinettist Timothy Lines.