Movement VI (Variazioni)
Ernesto P. Pellegrini
About this work:
Guido of Arezzo, an eleventh-century monk, derived and perfected a method for the teaching of sight singing using a familiar hymn: Ut queant laxis. This hymn contains six phrases, and the initial syllable of each phrase begins with the next higher note: ut, re, mi, fa, sol, la. We still learn the notes today as Guido taught them, except that we say do for ut and add a ti (si) above la. The text of the familiar hymn is as follows:
Ut queant laxis
resonare fibris
Mira gestorum
famuli tuorum,
Solve polluti
Labii reatum,
Sancte Joannes.
That thy servant may freely sing forth the wonders of thy deeds, remove all stain of guilt from their unclean lips, O Saint John.
In Movement VI, for viola and piano, the familiar hymn is initially presented by the viola and the piano together, in a form very much like the original. It is then followed by twelve variations. All variations have a certain amount of thematic association with the hymn, some in a more obvious manner, and others in a more distant manner. The variations, however, do not follow any of the traditional principle, since the length of each variation does not correspond with the length of the original hymn. Variation IX, like a cadenza, exploits the soloistic nature of the viola, and sets up the last three variations which are faster in tempo. Much of the harmonic vocabulary of this piece stems from the telescoping effect of the melody tones which are rendered in a vertical manner.
First perfromance: David Sills (viola) and Mitchell Andrews (piano), Spring 1994. New Music Festival, Ball State University.
Year composed: 1993
Duration: 00:16:00
Ensemble type: Chamber or Jazz Ensemble, Without Voice:Other Combinations, 2-5 players
Instrumentation: 1 Piano, 1 Viola