Programme note
“Pendulums” for solo string quartet and string orchestra or 5 string quartets is a slow and gradual
sinchronisation of 20 pendulums swinging separately at individual tempos. The voice leading of every
single part of the dense micropolyphonic texture reminds of a pendulum swing, the amplitude of which
either expands or narrows, thus intensifying or repressing the sound dynamics. In this freely interpreted
concerto genre the solo parts are not traditionally contrasting the orchestra – they rather organically fall
into the general music texture, just representing another form of the same process, another dimension of
musical time, a larger scale of the fractal.
The piece is dedicated for its initiator maestro Jonas Tankevičius and M.K.Čiurlionis string quartet, also
with a hint of commemoration to M.K.Čiurlionis year (a construction gesture of “Pendulums” reminds of
the opening motive from the symphonic poem “In the Forest” – the swinging of the low and high chords)
“Pendulums” for solo string quartet and string orchestra or 5 string quartets is a slow and gradual sinchronisation of 20 pendulums swinging separately at individual tempos. The voice leading of every single part of the dense micropolyphonic texture reminds of a pendulum swing, the amplitude of which either expands or narrows, thus intensifying or repressing the sound dynamics. In this freely interpreted concerto genre the solo parts are not traditionally contrasting the orchestra – they rather organically fall into the general music texture, just representing another form of the same process, another dimension of musical time, a larger scale of the fractal.
The piece is dedicated for its initiator maestro Jonas Tankevičius and M.K.Čiurlionis string quartet, also
with a hint of commemoration to M.K.Čiurlionis year (a construction gesture of “Pendulums” reminds of
the opening motive from the symphonic poem “In the Forest” – the swinging of the low and high chords)
the opening motive from the symphonic poem “In the Forest” – the swinging of the low and high chords)“Pendulums” for solo string quartet and string orchestra or 5 string quartets is a slow and gradual
sinchronisation of 20 pendulums swinging separately at individual tempos. The voice leading of every
single part of the dense micropolyphonic texture reminds of a pendulum swing, the amplitude of which
either expands or narrows, thus intensifying or repressing the sound dynamics. In this freely interpreted
concerto genre the solo parts are not traditionally contrasting the orchestra – they rather organically fall
into the general music texture, just representing another form of the same process, another dimension of
musical time, a larger scale of the fractal.
The piece is dedicated for its initiator maestro Jonas Tankevičius and M.K.Čiurlionis string quartet, also
with a hint of commemoration to M.K.Čiurlionis year (a construction gesture of “Pendulums” reminds of
the opening motive from the symphonic poem “In the Forest” – the swinging of the low and high chords)
Context
The piece is dedicated for its initiator maestro Jonas Tankevičius and M.K.Čiurlionis string quartet, also with a hint of commemoration to M.K.Čiurlionis year (a construction gesture of “Pendulums” reminds of the opening motive from the symphonic poem “In the Forest” – the swinging of the low and high chords).
Duration
10'
Performers
Čiurlionis Quartet, Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra, cond. Robertas Šervenikas