Trace Elements
for any two wind and any two string instruments
Commissioned by the Warsaw Autumn International Festival of Contemporary Music
Performances:
• Warsaw Autumn International Festival of Contemporary Music, Chopin Academy, 23rd September 2003. Ensemble Offspring: Mark Knoop–conductor, Kathleen Gallagher–flute, Jason Noble–clarinet, Thomas Talmacs–violin & Geoffrey Gartner–cello
• Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Bozidar Kos Composer Profile, 4th July 2004. Ensemble Offspring: Roland Peelman–conductor, Kathleen Gallagher–alto flute, Jason Noble–clarinet, Thomas Talmacs–violin & Geoffrey Gartner–cello
• @ Newtown RSL, Sydney, Flexible Eclectic, 10th May 2006. Ensemble Offspring: James Nightingale–recorders, Jason Noble–recorders, Sophie Cole–violin, Thomas Talmacs–violin
• 175 East. 19th August 2006, Hunter Council Chamber, Wellington & 20th August 2006, Hopetoun Alpha, Auckland, New Zealand
About Trace Elements:
Trace Elements is an open-scored work for any combination of two wind and two string instruments. The work took its inspiration from an ancient manuscript, the Cracow Lute Tablature, or rather, an article describing the manuscript including the cataloguing of ‘unidentified genres’. Lost and forgotten musics have frequently been a creative impetus in my work. The relics of such musics – ancient manuscripts, depictions of instruments, even legends or fables about music – provide a landscape of musical ruins that are evocative to the imagination. The most striking connection between the ancient manuscript and this work is that Trace Elements is written entirely in a form of tablature: a system of musical notation that denotes physical actions not the sounding result. As such, the tablature is used as a generic form of notation that may be performed by a variety of instruments from conventional classical instruments, to archaic and non-western instruments. The sonic characteristics of Trace Elements, the timbres of the ensemble and their subsequent pitches, are therefore flexible. The work deliberately invites a multiplicity of possible interpretations. Such openness, however, is compensated with rigorous control of musical gestures. Repetitious events are presented in a syntactic-like context so as to develop a lucid structure that clearly makes the work identifiable regardless of the performing ensemble. (Damien Ricketson)
Extended essay by Damien Ricketson
Access Trace Elements:
An audio excerpt and the score of this work may be available to download on the Music page
