EB 9452 – Campogrande, Urban Gardens (für Klavierquartett)

Nicola Campogrande

Urban Gardens

Fassung für Klavierquartett Version for piano quartet

Partitur Score

Fassung für Klavierquartett Version for piano quartet

Partitur Score

World Premiere Original Version (Piano and Orchestra)

Emanuele Arciuli, piano

Roberto Abbado, conductor

Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra

September 13, 2014

The original version was commissioned by the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA

Duration

approx. 17 minutes

This work is inspired by the urban gardens that are becoming a new, exciting presence in our cities. In such a setting I imagined the piano as an urban memory, keeping in mind its standard uses (in the classical music, in jazz, in pop music), and the string instruments as a green, vegetal presence in constant transformation. Doing that, I created in my mind three special places which correspond to the three movements.

Indeed, the first is ideally put “On a concert hall rooftop” –where some echoes of great piano concertos of the past come visit the piano part (not their actual notes, rhythms or sounds, but just far memories of themselves), whereas the other instruments are agitated by the pressure of plants that are growing up, by seeds that are unfolding and vegetables that are expanding.

The second movement is imagined to be “In a jazz club courtyard”, where the piano, in the original version for piano and orchestra, is surrounded mostly by winds, brass and percussions instruments (in this version: the strings). In the main theme there is something resembling a blues-style ballad, but there are other different elements part of the movement, including a variation, where the piano part is in toccata style. The peculiar ability of jazz to devour and transform everything is evoked in the final section: the piano presents some mini quotes of classical repertoire, emphasizing the dialogue between the two worlds.

The third movement has its origins in an urban garden created “On a studio terrace”, and the general form, the musical materials, and some specific instrumental solutions are inspired by the techniques of recording and editing in a studio. Probably our imaginary plants are now big and strong, because their sound is full of energy and rhythm, and if you think you’re listening to the voices of a tomato or of some string beans ready to be gathered you’re not completely wrong.

Nicola Campogrande, 2012 – 2022

Uraufführung Originalfassung (Klavier und Orchester)

Emanuele Arciuli, Klavier Roberto Abbado, Leitung Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra

13. September, 2014

Originalfassung: Auftragswerk des Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA.

Spieldauer

ca. 17 Minuten

Dieses Werk ist von den urbanen Gärten inspiriert, die sich zu einer neuen, spannenden Präsenz in unseren Städten entwickeln. Vor diesem Hintergrund habe ich mir das Klavier als eine Art städtisches Gedächtnis vorgestellt, wobei ich immer auch seine üblichen Verwendungen (in der klassischen Musik, im Jazz, in der Popmusik) vor Augen hatte; und das Orchester (in dieser Fassung: die Streichinstrumente) dachte ich mir als ein pflanzliches, organisches Lebewesen, das sich in ständigem Wandel befindet. So habe ich in meiner Vorstellung drei besondere Orte erschaffen, die mit den drei Sätzen des Stückes korrespondieren.

Der erste Satz ist idealerweise auf dem Dach eines Konzertsaals („On a concert rooftop“) angesiedelt – wo einige Anklänge an große Klavierkonzerte der Vergangenheit die Klavierstimme aufsuchen (nicht in Form ihrer tatsächlichen Noten, Rhythmen oder Klänge, sondern nur als ferne Erinnerungen an sie), während die anderen Instrumente durch den Druck der wachsenden Pflanzen, der keimenden Samen und des sich ausbreitenden Gemüses aufgewühlt werden.

Der zweite Satz findet in meiner Vorstellung im Hof eines Jazzclubs („In a jazz club courtyard“) statt, wo das Klavier – in der Originalfassung für Klavier und Orchester – hauptsächlich von Holz- und Blechbläsern und Schlaginstrumenten umgeben ist (in dieser Fassung: den Streichern). Das Hauptthema erinnert an eine Blues-Ballade, aber auch andere Elemente sind Teil des Satzes, darunter eine Variation, bei der die Klavierstimme im Toccata-Stil komponiert wurde. Der Schlussteil beschwört die eigentümliche Fähigkeit des Jazz, alles zu verschlingen und umzuwandeln: Das Klavier präsentiert einige Mini-Zitate aus dem klassischen Repertoire, und unterstreicht so den Dialog zwischen den beiden Welten.

Der dritte Satz hat seinen Ursprung in einem Urban Garden, der auf einer Studioterrasse („On a studio terrace“) angelegt wurde, und die allgemeine Form, das musikalische Material und einige spezifische Instrumentallösungen sind durch die Techniken der Tonaufnahme und Bearbeitung in einem Studio inspiriert. Wahrscheinlich sind unsere imaginären Pflanzen jetzt groß und stark, denn ihr Klang ist voller Energie und Rhythmus: Und wenn Sie denken, Sie hören die Stimmen einer Tomate oder von ein paar Bohnen, die reif für die Ernte sind, dann liegen Sie nicht ganz falsch.

Nicola Campogrande, 2012 – 2022

Prima esecuzione mondiale della versione originale (pianoforte e orchestra)

Emanuele Arciuli, pianoforte Roberto Abbado, direttore

Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra 13 settembre 2014

La versione originale è stata commissionata dalla

Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA

Durata

circa 17 minuti

Il brano è ispirato agli orti urbani, una delle novità più affascinanti tra quelle che stanno trasformando le nostre città. Muovendo da quell’idea, ho immaginato il pianoforte come memoria cittadina, tenendo bene in mente le diverse declinazioni alle quali si presta oggi lo strumento (musica classica, jazz, pop); e, intorno, ho pensato di far vivere l’orchestra come una presenza vegetale, organica, in continua trasformazione. Ho quindi giocato a creare tre luoghi molto speciali, che corrispondono ai tre movimenti del lavoro.

Il primo tempo è idealmente immaginato “Sul tetto di una sala da concerto”: vengono infatti a rendere visita al pianoforte alcune eco dei grandi concerti per pianoforte del passato – non come citazioni testuali, ma solo con lontane memorie – mentre gli altri strumenti sono mossi dalla pressione di semi che si schiudono, di piante che crescono, di vegetali che vanno espandendosi.

Il secondo movimento è immaginato “Nel cortile di un jazz club”, dove il pianoforte, per la maggior parte del tempo, nella versione originale per pianoforte e orchestra è circondato solo da legni, ottoni e percussioni (e, in questa versione, dagli archi). Nel tema principale c’è qualcosa legato a una ballad blues, ma fanno parte del gioco anche alcuni altri elementi, compresa una variazione dove la parte pianistica è scritta nello stile di una toccata. La sezione finale evoca la peculiare abilità del jazz di divorare e trasformare qualunque cosa: è in quel punto che il pianoforte presenta alcune micro-citazioni di brani del grande repertorio classico, sottolineando il dialogo tra i due mondi.

Il terzo movimento nasce dall’immagine di un orto urbano creato “Sulla terrazza di uno studio di registrazione” e la forma generale, i materiali musicali, alcune specifiche soluzioni strumentali sono inspirate al lavoro di registrazione e di editing tipiche di uno studio. Probabilmente le mie piante immaginarie sono ora grandi e forti, perché il loro suono è pieno di ritmo e di energia, e se si ha l’impressione di ascoltare la voce di un pomodoro o quella di fagiolini pronti per essere colti, non si sta sbagliando.

Nicola Campogrande, 2012 – 2022

Urban Gardens

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This work is inspired by the urban gardens that are becoming a new, exciting presence in our cities. In such a setting I imagined the piano as an urban memory, not forgetting its standard uses (in the classical music, in jazz, in pop music), and the string instruments as a green, vegetal presence that surrounds it. Doing that, I created in my mind three special places in which each movement develops.

Indeed, the first is idealistically put “On a concert hall rooftop” – where some echoes of great piano concertos of the past come visit the piano part (not their actual notes, rhythms or sounds, but just far memories of themselves), whereas the other instruments are agitated by the pressure of plants that are growing up, by seeds that are unfolding and vegetables that are expanding.

The second movement is imagined to be “In a jazz club courtyard”, where the piano, in the original version for piano and orchestra, is surrounded mostly by winds, brass and percussions instruments (in this version: the strings). In the main theme there is something resembling a blues-style ballad, but there are other different elements part of the movement, including a variation, where the piano part is in toccata style. The peculiar ability of jazz to devour and transform everything is evoked in the final section: the piano presents some mini quotes of jazzed-up classical repertoire and the dialogue between the two worlds is strongly interlaced.

The third movement has its origins in an urban garden created “On a studio terrace”, and the general form, the musical materials, and some specific instrumental solutions are inspired by recording and editing in a studio. Probably our imaginary plants are now big and strong, because their sound is full of energy and rhythm, and if you think you’re listening to a tomato or to some string beans ready to be gathered you’re not completely wrong.

Nicola Campogrande, 2012 – 2022

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