Growth and Decay
-
Body
-
Mind
-
Voice
Instrumentation:
flute, clarinet, viola, cello
Duration:
10 minutes
Dedication:
Written for the 2018 Vienna Summer Music Festival
Date:
2018
Premiere:
June 24th, 2018 by ensemble PHACE at Brick-5, Vienna, Austria
Program:
Written in three movements, Growth and Decay is my response to the mind-body problem, which questions the relationship between matter and consciousness. Since the voice manifests itself through both physical and psychological channels, the addition of this third element to the mind-body duality, offers a synthesis of the two primary elements.
While the movements are subtly connected through the use of recurring rhythmic and melodic motives, each movement is stylistically distinct from the others. The first movement, "Body," involves body percussion and extended techniques which require the players to strike the body of their instruments. Movement two, "Mind," is comprised of dense harmonies and rigid rhythmic patterns intended to emulate a distressing psychological experience. The final movement, "Voice," is based off of the Slovenian folk melody, "Drumlca," the words of which describe a boy whose broken drumlica (jaw harp) will no longer sing for him, just as the girl he loves will no longer open her heart to him because of his broken promise. Though these words are not sung in Growth and Decay, this song's story shapes the form of the piece's final movement:
Ta drumlca je zvomlana, mi knoče več zapeti,
ta dečva jezna je na me, mi knoče več odpreti.
Na vsučah gorah, zalienah travnčah s'mi šocej ti obljubov;
sreče na svietu ča boš mou, al ti to kna boš sturou.
This drum'lca is broken, it doesn't want to sing for me anymore.
This girl is angry with me, she doesn't want to open her heart anymore.
On high mountains, on green meadow, you, darling boy, made a promise
to give me happiness on earth when you will be with me, but you didn't do this.