Program Notes
These are violin and cello arrangements of the violin/viola duos commissioned by Oleg and Mikhail Pokhanovski.
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- 13
- Piano, Violin, Viola, Cello
Program Notes
Piano Quartet was composed in Winnipeg between April and June of 2004. The work is in a single movement, approximately 12 minutes in duration.
This work was commissioned by the the Agassiz Summer Chamber Music Festival, who gave the world premiere performance on June 21, 2004, at Eckhardt-Gramatté Hall in Winnipeg; the performers were:
David Stewart, violin
Aaron Au, viola
Paul Marleyn, cello
Stéphane Lemelin, piano
Program Notes
This work is a setting of poems by Antonio Machado. It was commissioned by
Ian Hodges and Charlene Pauls, with financial assistance from the Manitoba Arts Council.
Texts:
I
Tal vez la mano, en sueños,
del sembrador de estrellas,
hizo sonar la música olvidada
como una nota de la lira inmensa,
y la ola humilde a nuestros labios vino
de unas pocas palabras verdaderas.
II
Todo pasa y todo queda,
pero lo nuestro es pasar,
pasar haciendo caminos,
caminos sobre la mar.
III
Todo hombre tiene dos
batallas que pelear:
en sueños lucha con Dios;
y despierto, con el mar.
IV
Crece en la plaza en sombra
el musgo, y en la piedra vieja y santa
de la iglesia. En el atrio hay un mendigo . . .
Más vieja que la iglesia tiene el alma.
Sube muy lento, en las mañanas frías,
por la marmórea grada,
hasta un rincón de piedra . . . Allí aparece
su mano seca entre la rota capa.
Con las órbitas huecas de sus ojos
ha visto cómo pasan
las blancas sombras, en los claros días,
las blancas sombras de las horas santas.
Details
- 18
- String Quartet
Score Excerpts
Sound Samples
- Excerpt from 1st Movement – Mondrian Quartet
Program Notes
String Quartet No. 2 is a three-movement work of approximately twenty-three minutes duration.
The quartet was composed in Winnipeg between August and September of 2003. It was written for and dedicated to the Mondriaan Quartet, who gave the world premier performance in Winnipeg on May 10, 2003. The performers were: Jan Erik van Regteren Altena, violin, Edwin Blankenstijn, violin, Annette Bergman, viola, Eduard van Regteren Altena, cello.
Reviews
Matthews, M: Quartets 2+3; Miniatures
Michael Matthews: Quatours à cordes
String Quartets of Michael Matthews
Editor's Corner
Details
- 15
- Woodwind Quintet and Tape
Recordings
Score Excerpts
Sound Samples
- Mexico City Woodwind Quintet
Program Notes
The bulk of Away, Tear Away was written between June and September of 2003. The title was inspired by a fragment of the poem Spell Against Sorrow, by British poet Kathleen Raine (1908-2003):
Black crow tear away
Rend away sorrow
Talon and beak
Pluck out the heart
And the nerves of pain,
Tear away grief.
There is a deep sense of spiritualism in the poem, which I believe is mirrored by the mood of the music.
The work is dedicated to the Mexico City Woodwind Quintet, who commissioned it through the Manitoba Arts Council.
Program Notes
This work is a setting of poetry by Dennis Cooley. It was written for soprano Therese Costes.
Program Notes
Hommage à György Kurtág was composed in response to a request from my friend Paul Marleyn for a work to be performed on the same concert as Kurtág’s Ligatura – Message to Frances-Marie. My work is a gesture of respect to a composer whose work has been a great influence on my own.
This work was commissioned by the Agassiz Music Festival.
World Premier:
June 23, 2002
Eckhardt Gramatté Hall, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Sara Bitlloch and Aaron Au, Violin; Julie Amundsen and Paul Marleyn, Cello
Details
- 13
- Soprano, Clarinet/Bass Clarinet, Violin, Piano and AXIO Controller
Score Excerpts
Program Notes
This work was commissioned by Ensemble Resonance for their 2000/2001 season. The commission was made possible with financial assistance from the Canada Council. Many thanks to Dennis Cooley for the use of his wonderful poetry; it is a recording of his voice which provides much of the source material for the electroacoustic sounds in this piece.
Texts
I
A few pebbles of
rain red dust & the
creak of hinges working hard & dark cracks
open cranks its shutters open & will
not close for the night
II
absent minded
find traces of you
till out of the jelly they will
come the heat of eyes
surprise me they are blond
blind with regret
the ache of blood in the head
in my whole body remembering you
III
it has
jumped down
upon her
the sun
has jumped
& soon now
the moon
strolls slow
beside her
low inside her
like a white
foot
(floating)
IV
when you die she sd
she sd
its like
ghosts
shucked off
the white
flesh in your teeth
the bones melt
sweet (as butter)
in your mouth
she sd
look
its like zippered
silk
shucked off
she sd
the white teeth
sweat in the flesh
the wet seeds
sweet (as
salt) in my mouth melt
when you die
she sd
V
so glad
just to
with
dance
to
just
so
to
dance
with
just
you
Excerpts from Bloody Jack, ©1984, Dennis Cooley. Used by permission.
Details
- 19
- Cello and Piano
Program Notes
Song Fragments was composed in response to a request from cellist Paul Marleyn for a work to be included on the 2001/2002 Agassiz Chamber Players’ season. It is made up of ten short movements; each has a different character but they share melodic and harmonic similarities.
This work was commissioned by the Agassiz Chamber Players.
World Premier:
January 8, 2002
Eckhardt Gramatté Hall, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Paul Marleyn, cello; Sara Laimon, piano