Camouflage
Camouflage was jointly commissioned by BBC Radio 3 and Tŷ Cerdd for the 90th anniversary celebrations of the
BBC National Orchestra of Wales in 2018. The work was premiered by the orchestra under Jac van Steen at Hoddinott Hall, Cardiff on the 28th of March in 2018 and is dedicated to the memory of a fine piccolo player who sadly is no longer with us.
According to the Oxford Dictionary one definition of the word camouflage is ‘the natural colouring or form of an animal which enables it to blend in with its surroundings.’ Examples of this are numerous in nature, with prime examples possibly being the patterns on a leopard’s skin or the colours on the bittern’s feathers. This piece essentially deals with masking musical ideas into the orchestral textures, allowing them to resurface at various points within
the course of the work. The repeated two-note idea at the opening and later the ascending scale are gradually concealed within thick blocks of orchestral textures constructed of layers of identical ideas, similar to a pattern found in a typical camouflage. Further concealing is achieved by sustained chords that gradually moves from one sectional to another. Towards the end the main musical material is clearly revealed on the trumpets only to disappear into a blanket of ascending and descending scales that eventually disintegrates into a closing playful solo in
the piccolo part.
- Submitting institution
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Bangor University / Prifysgol Bangor
- Unit of assessment
- 26 - Modern Languages and Linguistics
- Output identifier
- UoA26_11
- Type
- J - Composition
- Month
- -
- Year
- 2018
- URL
-
-
- Supplementary information
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- Request cross-referral to
- 33 - Music, Drama, Dance, Performing Arts, Film and Screen Studies
- Output has been delayed by COVID-19
- No
- COVID-19 affected output statement
- -
- Forensic science
- No
- Criminology
- No
- Interdisciplinary
- No
- Number of additional authors
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0
- Research group(s)
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-
- Proposed double-weighted
- No
- Reserve for an output with double weighting
- No
- Additional information
- Over the past few years, Puw’s compositional interests have primarily been focusing on creating musical works that develops the use of instrumental textures, colours and timbres rather than the more usual traditional elements (for example melody, harmony and rhythm). The research includes an overview of all the instruments’ role within the orchestra, including how they interacted with each other as an ensemble and as one amongst many within the full orchestra.
The inspiration for the composition was also influential in its approach to instrumentation. This piece essentially deals with masking musical ideas into the orchestral textures, allowing them to resurface at various points within the course of the work. The repeated two-note idea at the opening and later the ascending scale are gradually concealed within thick blocks of orchestral textures constructed of layers of identical ideas, similar to a pattern found in a typical camouflage.
Camouflage was co-commissioned by BBC Radio 3 and Tŷ Cerdd and was premiered by BBC National Orchestra of Wales during their 90th anniversary celebration concert in Hoddinott Hall, Cardiff in 2018, receiving subsequent broadcasts on BBC Radio 3.
- Author contribution statement
- -
- Non-English
- No
- English abstract
- -
