Diptych (opus 137B)
Flutes 1 and 2, 1 piccolo flute, oboe 1 and 2, clarinets 1, 2 and 3, bass clarinet, bassoon 1 and 2, 1 sop sax, 1 alto sax, 1 tenor sax, 1 baritone sax, 4 trumpets, 4 horns, 2 euphoniums, 3 tenor trombones, 1 bass trombone, 2 tubas, timpani + gong, 4 percussionists [glockenspiel + suspended and crash cymbal + tenor drum/ triangle + xylophone + snare and bass drum/ vibraphone + suspended cymbal + chimes/ marimba], string bass
Programme notes
Diptych (op. 137B) is a musical composition for an enlarged wind orchestra consisting of two interrelated movements, mirroring the two panels of its namesake (a diptych). The relationship between the two movements is palindromic and developmental: the first movement contains all the core compositional ideas that are then fully explored and transformed in the second movement.
Movement I: !sadness
This movement sets the groundwork for the entire piece and focuses on expressing a somber mood through specific musical parameters:
Tempo: moderate and slow.
Harmony & register: A "journey of minor chords" focused in the low register.
Melody: characterized by descending and static lines.
Palindromic link: The exclamation mark precedes the title (!sadness), referencing the palindromic connection with the second movement.
Movement II: JOY!
This movement takes the material introduced in !sadness and transforms it to express elation and vibrant energy. The subject matter of JOY! is multifaceted, celebrating: the joy to create, the joy to feel alive, the joy to make music and the joy to share joy with an audience.
The joyous mood is realized through:
Tempo: energetic and fast.
Brass: extrovert brass fanfares.
Melody: lyrical, ascending, and "cute lighthearted" lines.
Woodwinds: arpeggios merrily flying up and down.
Percussion: brilliant cymbals heralding the cheerful conclusion.
The movement utilizes a fan-shaped structure (an arch form):
Ideas unfold one after the other until a central mid-point.
After the mid-point, the ideas reappear in the reverse order.
The relationship between the movements is described as the convexity and concavity of the same thoughts, expressing opposite but linked moods. Like a visual diptych, the two panels (movements) stand in contrast but are fundamentally connected by the shared musical material.
Joost Christiaan Flach is a Dutch oboist, conductor, and music educator who has been actively working and living in South East Asia since 1984. Joost has served as a professional oboist in several orchestras in the region, including Singapore Symphony Orchestra, Bangkok Symphony Orchestra, Kuala Lumpur Symphony Orchestra and the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra. Joost has served as Music Director/Resident Conductor of the Singapore Wind Symphony (SWS). He is currently the Head of Winds of the wind department at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) in Singapore.
He is an ardent supporter of local music education, especially that of woodwinds and has premiered contemporary Asian compositions specially written for the oboe. Joost and Robert are friends from the Lowlands.
Handwritten sketches and drafts
to be found in chapters XXXVI and XXXVb of the white cover, A3 size, 600 pages sketchbook
Completion of the composition
27-III-2023
Analysis
The Vault (2025) under Articles
Video of the premiere
link
Original creation by R Casteels [2023]
Duration:
19'
Composed In:
2023
Dedicated to:
Parts:
For score and parts, please email <rc@robertcasteels.com>
First performance:
26.11.23 Concert Hall, School Of The Arts, Singapore
First performed by:
The Singapore Wind Symphony conducted by Joost Christian Flach
Commissioned by:
979-0-9016549-8-3 (full score) and 979-0-9025002-7-2 (parts)
Download Link: