Output details

Gedächtnis-Hymne

Research content/process:

Gedächtnis-Hymne juxtaposes the chorus, almost entirely homophonic and in two voices, and designed to evoke atavistic ritual chanting, with the more mellifluous and contrapuntal material for the saxophones. The texts for Gedächtnis-Hymne were initially selected from fragments of texts by Friedrich . The definitive sequence of fragments was determined during, and as a result of, the composition of the music. One fragment ('meinest du Es solle gehen, Wie damals?') was repeated, but with a different musical setting. The texts are metaphysical and philosophical, no attempt is made to illustrate their imagery (tumult, aching pulsation, calming, burning, stinging, blossoming, winding in dread). The music for the saxophone quartet is based on Cretan folk-music as found in Samuel Baud-Bovy Chansons Populaires de Crete Occidental. The choir and the saxophone quartet are not unified by the music but remain contrasted, and even slightly in opposition: linear movement 'opposed' by long-held chords; mellifluous wide-ranging melodic writing 'opposed' by registrally-limited glissandi or repeated pitches; or one texture being punctuated or crudely emphasised by another. The sequence of events allows for large-scale repetition of clearly delineated musical elements, adjacent sections typically being in high contrast to each other (instrumentally, dynamically, registrally). The densest episode (8-voice counterpoint) is placed very near the end of the piece, succeeded only by a sustained Coda, making a diminuendo from f to pppp! and rising in volume again to ffff!. Gedächtnis-Hymne was written to a joint commission from the New London Chamber Choir and Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival. It was first performed at the November Music Festival in 's-Hertogenbosch, Holland, by the New London Chamber Choir directed by James Weeks and the Rascher Saxophone Quartet, on 10 November 2010, with the UK premiere at the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival on 28 November 2010.