Nocturnes
(Chamber Orchestra)

1. Starlight and the Cold
2. Reflections over Dark Water

 

These pieces began life as two unnamed piano miniatures before being ‘grafted’ onto the ensemble presented here. These origins are clearly present throughout the music— The piano carries spinal remains of the original versions, often colouring the ensemble. That musical material itself vastly differs between the two movements, despite their colourific similarity: the first, Starlight, is entirely free in its construction— harmony and gesture flowing to their expressive conclusions. Reflections however, is written in strict intervalic inversion (contrary motion), with rhythmic alterations opening up contrapuntal/harmonic possibilities. Only at its end does it break, only just, from this governing principle.

The titles of each movement are later additions, intended only to give a ‘starting point’ when listening. They are taken directly from my own experiences prior composition, but these pieces are not truly descriptive exercises. More wholly, they represent the kind of complex feelings experienced always, but often at night, which are never placeable in words. This is music about subtlety, warmth, sense of presence, soft emotion, spaciousness, delicateness— All the lucid, beautiful detail of life hidden under our daily servings of ideology, politics, technological excitement, and all the other harsh noises of daily life. This is then, I suppose, deeply human, carefully humane music first and foremost.

I would like to extend my deep thanks to Daryl Pratt and the Modern Music Ensemble for bringing my little ink spots to life so wonderfully.

 

Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Modern Music Ensemble conducted by Daryl Pratt