“Riddles” (1998) for clarinet & piano

(Ossia: bass-clarinet and piano)

 

Performances:
December 2002, International Festival of Modern Music, Prague, Czech Republic
(K.Dolezal – clarinet, Hans Barton – piano);
15.03.04, M.Rosenberg Concert Hall, University of Bar-Ilan ( w Anton Dressler – clarinet);
21.03.2007 “Musica Insieme contemporanea”, Aula Absidale di Santa Lucia, Bologna, Italy
(Anton Dressler – clarinet, bass-clarinet  Giuseppe Andaloro – piano);
27.03.2007 “Divinamente Roma” Festival, Capitoliny Museum, Rom, Italy  w Anton Dressler

Publications: IMC (Manuscript)

Recordings:“Creative Composition“  The Music Book, Chapter 7,
Treasure Productions 2005

Listen to Riddles (Movement 1)
Listen to Riddles (Movements 2-4)

The  piece  “Riddles”  for  clarinet  and  piano  was  written  in  1998  and  represents  a  four-part  cycle,
last  three  parts  of  which  are performed attacca.
First  part  is  opened  with  invariably  repeating, measured  sequence  of  piano  chords.
Its inexorable “objective” character and consistency – a Law of Nature, a faceless Cosmos.
Suddenly  a  sound  of  clarinet  is  heard,  like  a  bird,  soaring  lonely  against  a  background  of  an
endless  firmament.  There  is  no  metric pulse in  its  part,  it  plays  freely  over  the  piano`s  texture.
This  is  the  voice  of  a  Mind,  attempting  to  penetrate  the  Mystery  of  Reality. It  in itself,  however,
becomes  a  part  of  Eternal  Cycle;  repeated  again  and  again, the  clarinet  motive  cannot  break  out
the  vicious  circle  of  deterministic  world.
The Mind is limited, a Question remains unanswered, the Riddle – unsolved.
The  world,  monotonous  and  faceless,  remains  concealed  and  reserved  in  itself…

Second part is highly dramatic and full with collisions.
An inquisitive Intellect bids defiance to the endless Cosmos.
Coming  to  a  stop  for  a  while  from  time  to  time,  as  if  amazed  by  the  appeared  vision,
musical  stream  renews  its  power  again  and  again.

In  the  Third  part  music  reaches  the  utmost  clearness  and  simplicity,  turning, as  it  were,
into  a  set  of  formulas.  For  the  first  time  both  instruments  “meet”,  playing  in  unison,
in  an  absolute  harmony  and  coordination;  a  harmony  between  the  World  and  the  Mind.
The  edge  of  the  curtain,  hiding  the  real  face  of  reality,  is  slightly  raised.
But  Man  climbs  to  the  heights  of  understanding  only  to  discover,
that  behind  the  lifted  Curtain  there  is  another,  even  more  dense  one.

Fourth  part,  the  Epilogue,  brings  back  the  atmosphere  of  a  mystery  and  vagueness.
Everything is calmed down.
The World remains a Riddle…