A journey through
for piano (2016)
duration 6 minutes
premiere 12th February 2017 by Hugo Selles at the UKARIA Cultural Centre, Mt. Barker Summit, SA, Australia
score available from Donemus
program
A Journey Through is a six-minute solo piano piece that is built around one long acceleration. Starting with a processional rhythm a slow flowing theme unfolds, building to a short climax that seems to hang in the air before being brought down to earth by a heavy chord. With renewed vigour the music now starts to push forward, gaining in momentum until it is several times faster than the opening.
Dramatic forces pull the music towards yet another hanging climax before erupting into dissonant outbursts of the opening material that in turn build towards the piece's long climactic resolution on a now-shaking version of the piece's chords.
The harmonic structure is loosely based on the old form of the chaconne. However, unlike the traditional chaconne, where the chord progression simply repeats itself, the progression in A Journey Through evolves every time. Pushing further and further away from its home key with each repetition, and growing in dissonance, the music seems to be bursting through its own harmonic boundaries before suddenly finding itself in a gently whirling vision of the opening.
The title comes from the picturesque and evocative nature of the music. This is not a journey from or to anywhere specific, but an abstract feeling of having been moved through sound.
duration 6 minutes
premiere 12th February 2017 by Hugo Selles at the UKARIA Cultural Centre, Mt. Barker Summit, SA, Australia
score available from Donemus
program
A Journey Through is a six-minute solo piano piece that is built around one long acceleration. Starting with a processional rhythm a slow flowing theme unfolds, building to a short climax that seems to hang in the air before being brought down to earth by a heavy chord. With renewed vigour the music now starts to push forward, gaining in momentum until it is several times faster than the opening.
Dramatic forces pull the music towards yet another hanging climax before erupting into dissonant outbursts of the opening material that in turn build towards the piece's long climactic resolution on a now-shaking version of the piece's chords.
The harmonic structure is loosely based on the old form of the chaconne. However, unlike the traditional chaconne, where the chord progression simply repeats itself, the progression in A Journey Through evolves every time. Pushing further and further away from its home key with each repetition, and growing in dissonance, the music seems to be bursting through its own harmonic boundaries before suddenly finding itself in a gently whirling vision of the opening.
The title comes from the picturesque and evocative nature of the music. This is not a journey from or to anywhere specific, but an abstract feeling of having been moved through sound.