A darkness insinuating: for chamber orchestra
- Submitting institution
-
Cardiff University / Prifysgol Caerdydd
- Unit of assessment
- 33 - Music, Drama, Dance, Performing Arts, Film and Screen Studies
- Output identifier
- 96673367
- Type
- J - Composition
- Month
- -
- Year
- 2017
- URL
-
-
- Supplementary information
-
-
- Request cross-referral to
- -
- Output has been delayed by COVID-19
- No
- COVID-19 affected output statement
- -
- Forensic science
- No
- Criminology
- No
- Interdisciplinary
- No
- Number of additional authors
-
0
- Research group(s)
-
-
- Proposed double-weighted
- No
- Reserve for an output with double weighting
- No
- Additional information
- A Darkness Insinuating is a single-movement piece for sinfonietta ensemble (1.1.1.1 – 1.1.1.0 – 1perc – piano – 1.1.1.1.1) which explores notions of political power, stability and the undermining of these, in response to the political atmospheres in the US, UK and South Africa in the mid-2010s. South Africa’s post-apartheid struggles, Britain’s Brexit referendum and the election of Donald Trump in 2016 all informed the basic premise of the work – that both the hope of progressive development of society towards greater humanity and understanding and the related established power structures were being gradually undermined and ultimately destroyed by forces previously thought to be waning.
As is common in my work, the piece directly references a range of musical styles and seeks to juxtapose these dramatically. Most notably, South African jazz is referenced in the opening to establish a mood of optimism which is then undermined by a sinuous, dark-hued rising melody. These ideas are contrasted with a chorale-like material which has its musical origins in traditional South African bow music and seeks to establish and maintain calm and order. These three ideas interact over the course of the piece to generate a sequence of tense interactions, building in intensity throughout the piece until all three are broken apart by the process, leaving only a shattered landscape of fragments in the final minutes.
A Darkness Insinuating was commissioned by the Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival (South Africa) and premiered there in June 2017 by a festival ensemble of international soloists from the US, Germany, France, Spain, Portugal and South Africa. It is published by Composers Edition.
- Author contribution statement
- -
- Non-English
- No
- English abstract
- -