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Stimmungen
for cello quartet, M.648 (2005-6)
EXCERPTS OF THE 5 MOVEMENTS OF THE SCORE :
I. APPASSIONATO :
II. MALINCONICO :
III. MACABRO :
IV. COLLERICO :
V. ONIRICO :
Performers :
Anita Leuzinger, Sebastian Diezig, Adam Mital and David Pia, cellos
This work has been commissioned by the International Festival Viva Cello
of Liestal (Switzerland), at the request of its
Artistic Director, Patrick Demenga.
The first performance has taken place on August 27th, 4 pm,
at the Museum.BL of Liestal.
The interpreters were Anita Leuzinger,
Sebastian Diezig, Adam Mital
and David Pia.
Duration of the work : approximately
12’30
Commentary of the work by the composer :
The
title « Stimmungen » refers to the theme of
the 2006 edition of the Viva Cello Festival, which is the 2 significations of
the German word Stimmung(en) : tuning(s) of the
strings and atmosphere(s) (in this case the atmospheres of the different
movements). The score foresees the possibility of a different tuning for each
movement, but it is also playable with a minimum of tuning changes – which
might be useful during a concert.
The
5 movements have very contrasted atmospheres. The first movement is a rather
contrapuntal appassionato ; the second is a malinconico (= melancholic), partly inspired by the art of
the “consort of viols” of Elizabethan England. The third movement is a sinister
macabro, with one of the cello parts playing a
quarter tone higher than the others. The fourth
movement, collerico (= wrathful), bases itself partly
on chords on the four strings and clusters; at last, the fifth movement is an onirico (= dreamy), with suspended melodies and glissandi
on the natural harmonics.
Laurent Mettraux, August 5th, 2006