Spirit of Wood (nr 1)
Percussion quartet and tape
Programme notes
From an initial budding pitch on B, the music unfolds in concentric circles of rhythmic palindromes, creating a texture reminiscent of the intricate tissue of plant xylem. A single melodic motif centers on the pitches A, C, and E, the acronym for the Asian Civilisations Museum, which commissioned this work for a special exhibition on Malay wood carving entitled Spirit of Wood. The piece concludes with a serene blossoming of the xylem’s arborescent circles, evoking grace and tranquility. Its premiere took place in 2003 in the River Room of the Asian Civilisations Museum.
Disambiguation
Opus 45 refers to the 6-minute composition for percussion quartet and pre-recorded tape for concert performance.
Opus 46 refers to the 22-minute pre-recorded composition for background playback.
Completion of the composition
20-VIII-2003
Invitation and programme
see Spirit of Wood (2003) under Articles
Full score
see page 1 of the publication
Recording
see page 79 of the black cover logbook #2
Quote
"Despite the variation in texture, a sense of stillness is created"
Lee Shin-Kang, Singapore
‘The Makara’, a mythological sea monster central to the cosmology of Pattani and Kelantan, Malaysia (Reproduced with permission of the Asian Civilisations Museum, Singapore)
Duration:
5' 34"
Composed In:
2003
Dedicated to:
Parts:
For score, parts, CD Kreisleriana (track 2), CD Resonances of Asia vol. 2 (track 5), please email <rc@robertcasteels.com>
First performance:
09.11.03 River Room Asian Civilisation Museum during a benefit dinner for the Museum, graced by Dr Lee Boon Yang, Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts
First performed by:
Commissioned by:
The Asian Civilisation Museum, Empress Place (Singapore)
(Published without ISBN or ISMN)
Download Link: