Composition Department Lunchtime Concert 28th April 2022
Inside My Poodle Radithya Budi Theomarga Flute: Braden Simm Oboe: Joshua Cass Clarinet: Joshua Rosen Horn: Arabella Davie Bassoon: Milly Yip
This wind quintet piece is inspired by the life of my own pet poodle. This piece will take everyone to a journey of living as a poodle for a day, in which poodles use a different language and react to sounds in a unique manner. Through starting off with a simple melodic line, it will be developed with many twists and turns, just like when a poodle reacts when they are exposed to different environments. The development will be supported even further with the exchange of ideas between the winds and the progressive timbre that it produces over the piece. Without further ado, I present you Inside My Poodle.
As Erik Dreams of Suzanne Damien McCluskey Piano: Ling Luc
This short suite was inspired by the brief love affair between 19th Century French composer, Erik Satie and the Model/Artist Suzanne Valadon, as depicted in the book Symphony of Seduction by Christopher Lawrence. These pieces serve as an interpretation into the mind of Erik and his unrequited love, as he dreams of his brief time with Suzanne and longs for her return.
L'Obscurite Parlé Oliver Muller Piano: Chloe Evans
Having been obsessed with Cosmic Horror in recent years, this piece was inevitable. Inspired by early 20th Century French composers such as Lili Boulanger and Olivier Messiaen, it plays on that dream-like state of wonder when one stares into space on a clear night; although for myself it has always been accompanied with a fear of that terrifying and towering expanse. You lose all humanness and your mortality when you stare into that void. You are hypnotised and sucked into the limitless abyss but when you find silence, it beckons you in with an overwhelming foreboding nature and you become part of the inevitable darkness. "If you look long enough into the void, the void begins to look back through you" - Friedrich Nietzsche
Florescense Isabella Tate Violin I: Johan Spriggs Violin II: Maddisyn Dixon-Whitbourne Viola: Jeremy Egerton Cello: Ariana Dedecius Double Bass: Charlotte Scanlan Florescense is the process of flowering, which is essentially what this piece does. I wanted to depict the process of ‘blossoming’ and growing. ‘Florescense’ begins delicately and soft with simple chords, gradually developing into passionate melodies and counterparts. This flowing movement of parts is then abruptly interrupted in the B section of the piece as it enters a dark and desolate atmosphere – symbolising struggle and the low points in life. The piece then transitions away from this atmosphere as faster rhythms begin occurring, eventually leading into a mix of detached syncopated rhythms. These rhythms then gradually increase in duration finally returning to the first themes of the piece, which are now more full and vivacious, depicting the process of ‘blossoming’.
A Powerful Sacrifice Thomas Balshaw String Quartet My Piece ‘*A Powerful Sacrifice*’ Is based on **The Opera Game**, a famous chess game played at a Paris opera house in 1858. Where American master Paul Morphy played against both Karl II, Duke of Brunswick and Count Isouard. The piece begins by highlighting Morphys awe and excitement, for after much travel he is finally able to enjoy and watch this French opera. As we progress, the tone turns more serious as Morphy is introduced to the Duke and Count, who talk Morphy into a chess game. Unable to properly watch the opera, the music reflects Morphys disappointment and growing anxiety as he is lead away by the duo. During this piece, I have experimented with a few techniques, with the aim to re-create a clock’s ticking sound - which will reflect the games’ intensity. Throughout this section, we endure various twists and turns, with many sacrifices resulting in positional advantages - the most powerful being the Queen sacrifice, which eventually leads to the games conclusion. Who do you think won this historic game?
Insight Bethany Thiele Piano and Voice: Bethany Thiele Viola: Sebastien Masel Double Bass: Oliver King
'Insight' is inspired by the artwork by Emma Drew of the same name. The artwork depicts a monstrous skull with eyeballs filling its skull. This takes the word 'insight' quite literally - sight within yourself. To have insight is to gain a deep understanding of someone or something. This piece aims to evoke a sense of exploring the unknown, but ultimately expresses that there is so much in this universe beyond our understanding. The melody is based on an octatonic scale starting on a semitone, and sings over a drone for most of the piece. The timbre of the instrumentation, particularly the striking of the exposed piano strings is a central feature of this piece.
Scherzo in F Luke Hammer Piano: Reuben Tsang
This cheerful piece was inspired by Classical waltzes and minuets and imitates their pleasant charm with a hint of 19th century and beyond surprises sprinkled on top. It introduces simple melodies and cascading waterfall-like motifs in the high register of the piano before moving on to a lively and upbeat trio that explores a variety of emotions and musical ideas.