Concerto for Violin and Chamber Orchestra
Margaret Brouwer
About this work:
Available for rental through Carl Fischer.
Program notes: This concerto is an experiment in layering. More and more, my harmonic sound is about the contrasts that occur by juxtaposing or overlaying consonant and dissonant (tonal-type and atonal-type) harmonies. To me this says – “21st century”. In the concerto, there are some fairly tonal sections, but there is also a 12-tone row stated quite strictly by the solo violin in the first two and one half measures of the piece. This row winds its way through all three movements in various permutations. Violinist Michi Wiancko, for whom the concerto was written, was another source of inspiration. Her virtuosic, fiery playing and beautiful, singing sound in all the traditional concertos was in my mind as I wrote, as well as her interest in other forms of musical expression – gypsy bands, pop-folk, and trip-hop. In the first movement, current politics also inspired a short musical quote that supports the message of the movement. Underlying feelings of frustration and sadness haunt this movement. However, the second and third movements lead to brighter and happier moods.
After beginning the second, slow movement at least twenty times, trying complex and thick openings, melody with complex harmonies, melody with tonal harmonies, I leaned more and more toward utter simplicity. Somehow a melody, beautiful in its absolutely simplicity that would gradually evolve to more complexity and more layers seemed the most powerful. A request from Michi for a cadenza with drums and a trip-hop beat led to a great deal of experimentation on my part. It was an interesting challenge to see whether I could layer this element into my composition style in a convincing way. Study of British trip-hop rhythms and many rewrites occurred before I was satisfied that I had something that worked and also contributed to the overall value of the piece.
The third movement, Gypsy is inspired by gypsy band music. In their fast music they appear to be having so much fun, playing with abandon at break-neck speed! This movement is about high spirits, having fun, playfulness, going fast, sometimes-wild music, and the dazzling violin!
The Concerto for Violin and Chamber Orchestra was commissioned for violinist Michi Wiancko by CityMusic Cleveland, James Gaffigan, Conductor, and sponsored in part by Arts and Culture as Economic Development (ACE) Program, The Honorables Jimmy Dimora, Timothy F. Hagan, and Peter Lawson Jones with Co-Sponsors Clurie Bennis, Dr. Victor Ceicys and Mrs. Kathleen Browning Ceicys, the Elyria Musical Art Society, Pamela and Scott Isquick and David Krakowski.
Year composed: 2007
Duration: 00:24:00
Ensemble type: Orchestra:Chamber Orchestra with Soloist(s)
Instrumentation: 1 Flute, 1 Oboe, 2 Clarinet, 2 Bassoon, 2 Horn in F, 2 Trumpet, 1 Trombone, 1 Percussion (General), 11 Violin, 5 Viola, 3 Cello, 1 Double bass
Instrumentation notes: solo violin; 1,1,2,2; 2,2,1,0; 1 perc; 6,5,4,3,1