Articles

16 hours and thirty minutes of verbal interviews of R Casteels recorded by Teo Kian Giap from 4 to 17 February 2015 at the Oral History Centre of the National Archives of Singapore. Search "Casteels" @ https://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/

Through an analysis of Casteels' major works, Lee proves that Casteels is indeed “one of those composers whose music makes an immediate impact on the audience” -- Casteels breaks out of traditional concepts, such as by combining a formalist stance with "new musicology" and extramusicality, juxtaposing differing ethnic instruments and differing ideas, as well as adapting ideas from nature and life. From the “deconstruction of high art' that often occurs in Casteels' music, Casteels has been able to 'invert values and create new soundscapes for the contemporary world”.

Harmonic structure of the piano Etude opus 8 no 2 by Scriabine

Harmonic and motivic analysis of opus 97 Semisopochnoi.

A two-pages handwritten analysis of the formal structure of shadow catcher opus 52A.

Complete analysis of the opus 139 for string orchestra followed by a transcript of an interview conducted by composer John Sharpley in September 2024.

Simple-X for 18 strings piano, 3 iPads and electro-acoustic sounds is based on a straightforward chordal progression. This progression unfolds in ten steps in contrary motion from a departure point of an open fifth to an arrival point corresponding to all the open strings. The ten steps refer to the tenth anniversary of the group that celebrated its tents anniversary and that commissioned Simple-X. The sequence in which instruments appear during each step follow geometrical patterns based on the special stage position of the instruments on stage.

Synoptic table showing the relation between the three orchestras in the second movement “The Five Beginnings” on the poem “Renovation” by Edwin Thumboo.

Analysis of the compositional material of Song of the Open Road opus 62