LIERdicht

Programme notes

In Dutch literature, a lierdicht is a high-minded lyrical poem on an exalted subject. I endeavoured to compose a sonic poem that is high-minded  (literally speaking given the elevated position of the carillon in the centre of Flemish cities), exalted in inspiration and  lyrical in expression. The unrelated adjective dicht means closed, which I take as a reference to the tightness of the compostional structure. The first four letters are capital letters in reference to the city of Lier. Playing the carillon presupposes firstly the climbing of lots of stairs. The tower of the Saint Gummarus, Lier's main church, has five floors. The first part of the composition is a metaphor of a tower ascent  during which the music material evolves through five stages. The majestic main theme stated at the very beginning undergoes f ive gradual transformations alternating with four contrasting secondary themes. Part two is a sonic fireworks.  After reaching the top of the tower,  I give the carillonist creative space to "explode"  all the preceding material with joyous frenesy. The third part represents the tower descent: the material of part one appears at a faster tempo in a shortened form and in the exact reverse order to culminate in a exuberant and short coda.

Handwritten sketches and drafts

see cloudy cover, PA5 size, 46 pages sketchbook

Completion of the composition

1-X-2025

Analysis

see page 16 of the score

see 1.15 The Vault (2025) under Articles