blimunda songs for pierrot ensemble
by paul novak
Performed March 8th, 2020
Paul Novak's Senior Recital
Duncan Recital Hall, Houston, TX
Joshua Hong, conductor
Arin Sarkissian, flute/piccolo
Taylor Isberg, clarinet
Adam Woodward, violin
Nathan Hsu, cello
Justin Kang, percussion
Jacob Sandridge, piano
blimunda songs is a set of 4 miniatures for pierrot ensemble. While each of these pieces evokes a different mood and character, they are also unified by subtle recurring details: gestures and harmonies that reemerge in each movement, fragments of melodic material that persistently reappear. Although this is not a programmatic work by any means, the title references José Saramago’s novel Baltasar and Blimunda, which contrasts harsh realism with wonder and suffering with humor. I attempted to capture these juxtapositions in the four movements of this piece. The first movement places long sustained chords side by side with quick descending gestures; the second is a dance-like scherzo; the third uses fragmented constellations of sound against breathy backdrop; and the fourth literally and figuratively echoes the first three movements.
blimunda songs is scored for flute (doubling piccolo), clarinet in Bb, violin, cello, percussion, and piano, and was written as a part of Atlantic Music Festival in 2017.
5 сен 2024
