Output details

Suite for Cello and Piano

Evidence of performance

http://www.ealingautumnfestival.co.uk/#!david-osbon/c17de

With the development of multiple modes of access, the culture of engaging with and participation in contemporary classical music remains a challenge for composers. The Spectrum series published by ABRSM may be taken as an example of good practice, and many composers may have an innate understanding of composing for younger performers. How, though, does one bridge the gap?

This is a set of 4 short works, Song Without Words, Cabaret Song, Semplice and Toscanini’s Trousers for cello and piano. Each of the works are programmatic in nature and, whilst designed to stand alone, are linked harmonically to create a coherent set when performed together. These works have been composed with a deliberate emphasis on the advanced student and the environment within which they might perform the music thus, for example, the piano parts have been written at a level that one might expect an instrumental teacher to be able to accompany their student, without compromising the compositional integrity of the music.

The compositional challenges are to create works that fulfil these parameters whilst still writing in a contemporary idiom (especially harmonically). Each work is based on a harmonic structure where a chord is rotated and transposed to create a set of intervalically consistent chords that have a closed structure. This device has been developed by the composer over the past 15 years and can be found in each of the other works in this submission.

This is an innovative methodology leading to new and original creative thinking, which in turn, is making a significant contribution to the development of contemporary creative composition. Each of the four works has a pitch centre that is used variously as a pedal tone or to articulate movement from one chord in the scheme to the next.