Observation of Clouds

Production

commissioned by the Cesis Art Festival 2012, written for Kamer choir and Sinfonietta Riga, dedicated to Normunds Šnē

Performances

3 August 2012 Cesis Art Festival, Festival Hall at the Cesis Sports Complex (LV) | 21 September 2012 Sinfonietta Riga Season Opening concert, Great Guild Hall in Riga (LV) | 26 October 2012 GAIDA festival, Contemporary Art Center in Vilnius (LT)

Programme note

The piece is an extremely gradual and surreal odyssey from the "clouds" to the "earth" in both physical and metaphorical senses. The musical structure is based on a canon of 3 layers - strings and voices that are temporal and timbral opposition as ''instrumental'' and ''human'', and winds which have a position of the middle, being a ''breathing instrument'' and helping to connect two opposites creating a smooth ''thermodynamic'' transformation of the sound substance. Those 3 layers could remind of different water states in the hydrological cycle - liquid, vapor and ice and their cyclical conversion processes (evaporation, condensation, precipitation and infiltration) become in music transformation of timbre and harmony, the densification and clarification of micro-polyphonic texture, accumulation and dissollution of different layers, pulsation of dynamic crescendos-diminuendos, rising and sinking of macro register and micro intonations. The directions of these changes are guided by the progressive cyclical form where every cycle is longer in time and wider in register than previous, gradually embracing the maximum range from the highest possible violin harmonics at the begining to the lowest open string of contrabass at the very end of the composition, whilst the harmony is based on a continuous sequential sinking of a diatonic mode crossing the cycle of fifths at 3 different levels.

To all these acoustic processes the poetry by Knuts Skujenieks gives a verbal expression, poetic meaning and moves the work into almost sacral dimension. The content, however, remains only to the performers as the singers articulate only vocals of the poem to purify the verbal material masking the consonants as word attacks, which can be seen in the instrumental parts as well - all the notes the string and wind players produce start from the silence, reach the general dynamics and vanish into silence, creating the "underwater" pulsations, unifying the timbres and homogenizing the texture. The poetry of Skujenieks was chosen not only for its literal sense, but also for the poet's connections with Lithuania as a part of the historical, cultural and linguistic relationship of our two countries - very important for me and musically realized by continuous collaboration with Latvian artists.

As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth, and making it bud and flourish, so that it yealds see for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. (Isaia 55:10-11)

Duration

35' ca.

“Observation of Clouds” for voices, double wind quintet and strings (2012) text by Knuts Skujenieks Duration: 30` ca. commissioned by the Cesis Art Festival 2012 written for Kamer choir and Sinfonietta Riga dedicated to Normunds Šnē Text by Knuts Skujenieks tik skaistu kalnu mums nav mums mākoņi dzimst uz zemes blakām vītola atvasēm blakām stirnas bērniem un kad mākoņi salasās debesīs tie ir tie mūsu kalni kur mums augstu un balti domāt tāpat kā visiem citiem tik skaistu kalnu mums nav mums mākoņi dzimst uz zemes blakām vītola atvasēm blakām stirnas bērniem un kad mākoņi salasās debesīs tie ir tie mūsu kalni kur mums augstu un balti domāt tāpat kā visiem citiem The piece was nominated for the Musical Composition Prize 2015 of the Prince Pierre de Monaco Fondation. Justė Janulytė. “Observation of Clouds” for voices, double wind quintet and strings (2012) text by Knuts Skujenieks Duration: 30` ca. commissioned by the Cesis Art Festival 2012 written for Kamer choir and Sinfonietta Riga dedicated to Normunds Šnē Programme note The piece is extremely gradual and surreal odyssey from the "clouds" to the "earth" in both physical and metaphorical senses. The musical structure is based on a canon of 3 layers - strings and voices that are temporal and timbral opposition as ''instrumental'' and ''human'', and winds which have a position of the middle, being a ''breathing instrument'' and helping to connect two opposites creating a smooth ''thermodynamic'' transformation of the sound substance. Those 3 layers could remind of 3 different water states in the hydrological cycle - liquid, vapor and ice and their cyclical mutation processes (evaporation, condensation, precipitation and infiltration) become in music transformation of timbre and harmony, the densification and clarification of texture, rising and sinking of macro register and micro intonations. To all these acoustic processes the poetry by Knuts Skujenieks gives a verbal expression, poetic meaning and moves the work into almost sacral dimension. The content remains only to the performers as the singers articulate only vocals of the poem to purify the verbal material cutting off the consonants as word attacks as it can be seen in the instrumental parts as well - all the notes the string and wind players produce start from the silence, reach the general dynamics and vanish into silence, creating the "underwater" pulsations, unifying the timbres and homogenizing the texture. The poetry of Skujenieks was chosen not only for its literal sense, but also for the poet's connections with Lithuania as a part of the historical, cultural and linguistic relationship of our two countries - very important for me and musically realized by continuous collaboration with Latvian artists. tik skaistu kalnu mums nav mums mākoņi dzimst uz zemes blakām vītola atvasēm blakām stirnas bērniem un kad mākoņi salasās debesīs tie ir tie mūsu kalni kur mums augstu un balti domāt tāpat kā visiem citiem Justė Janulytė. “Observation of Clouds” for voices, double wind quintet and strings (2012) text by Knuts Skujenieks Duration: 30` ca. commissioned by the Cesis Art Festival 2012 written for Kamer choir and Sinfonietta Riga dedicated to Normunds Šnē Programme note The piece is extremely gradual and surreal odyssey from the "clouds" to the "earth" in both physical and metaphorical senses. The musical structure is based on a canon of 3 layers - strings and voices that are temporal and timbral opposition as ''instrumental'' and ''human'', and winds which have a position of the middle, being a ''breathing instrument'' and helping to connect two opposites creating a smooth ''thermodynamic'' transformation of the sound substance. Those 3 layers could remind of 3 different water states in the hydrological cycle - liquid, vapor and ice and their cyclical mutation processes (evaporation, condensation, precipitation and infiltration) become in music transformation of timbre and harmony, the densification and clarification of texture, rising and sinking of macro register and micro intonations. To all these acoustic processes the poetry by Knuts Skujenieks gives a verbal expression, poetic meaning and moves the work into almost sacral dimension. The content remains only to the performers as the singers articulate only vocals of the poem to purify the verbal material cutting off the consonants as word attacks as it can be seen in the instrumental parts as well - all the notes the string and wind players produce start from the silence, reach the general dynamics and vanish into silence, creating the "underwater" pulsations, unifying the timbres and homogenizing the texture. The poetry of Skujenieks was chosen not only for its literal sense, but also for the poet's connections with Lithuania as a part of the historical, cultural and linguistic relationship of our two countries - very important for me and musically realized by continuous collaboration with Latvian artists. tik skaistu kalnu mums nav mums mākoņi dzimst uz zemes blakām vītola atvasēm blakām stirnas bērniem un kad mākoņi salasās debesīs tie ir tie mūsu kalni kur mums augstu un balti domāt tāpat kā visiem citiem Justė Janulytė. “Observation of Clouds” for voices, double wind quintet and strings (2012) text by Knuts Skujenieks Duration: 30` ca. commissioned by the Cesis Art Festival 2012 written for Kamer choir and Sinfonietta Riga dedicated to Normunds Šnē Programme note The piece is extremely gradual and surreal odyssey from the "clouds" to the "earth" in both physical and metaphorical senses. The musical structure is based on a canon of 3 layers - strings and voices that are temporal and timbral opposition as ''instrumental'' and ''human'', and winds which have a position of the middle, being a ''breathing instrument'' and helping to connect two opposites creating a smooth ''thermodynamic'' transformation of the sound substance. Those 3 layers could remind of 3 different water states in the hydrological cycle - liquid, vapor and ice and their cyclical mutation processes (evaporation, condensation, precipitation and infiltration) become in music transformation of timbre and harmony, the densification and clarification of texture, rising and sinking of macro register and micro intonations. To all these acoustic processes the poetry by Knuts Skujenieks gives a verbal expression, poetic meaning and moves the work into almost sacral dimension. The content remains only to the performers as the singers articulate only vocals of the poem to purify the verbal material cutting off the consonants as word attacks as it can be seen in the instrumental parts as well - all the notes the string and wind players produce start from the silence, reach the general dynamics and vanish into silence, creating the "underwater" pulsations, unifying the timbres and homogenizing the texture. The poetry of Skujenieks was chosen not only for its literal sense, but also for the poet's connections with Lithuania as a part of the historical, cultural and linguistic relationship of our two countries - very important for me and musically realized by continuous collaboration with Latvian artists. tik skaistu kalnu mums nav mums mākoņi dzimst uz zemes blakām vītola atvasēm blakām stirnas bērniem un kad mākoņi salasās debesīs tie ir tie mūsu kalni kur mums augstu un balti domāt tāpat kā visiem citiem Justė Janulytė. “Observation of Clouds” for voices, double wind quintet and strings (2012) text by Knuts Skujenieks Duration: 30` ca. commissioned by the Cesis Art Festival 2012 written for Kamer choir and Sinfonietta Riga dedicated to Normunds Šnē Programme note The piece is extremely gradual and surreal odyssey from the "clouds" to the "earth" in both physical and metaphorical senses. The musical structure is based on a canon of 3 layers - strings and voices that are temporal and timbral opposition as ''instrumental'' and ''human'', and winds which have a position of the middle, being a ''breathing instrument'' and helping to connect two opposites creating a smooth ''thermodynamic'' transformation of the sound substance. Those 3 layers could remind of 3 different water states in the hydrological cycle - liquid, vapor and ice and their cyclical mutation processes (evaporation, condensation, precipitation and infiltration) become in music transformation of timbre and harmony, the densification and clarification of texture, rising and sinking of macro register and micro intonations. To all these acoustic processes the poetry by Knuts Skujenieks gives a verbal expression, poetic meaning and moves the work into almost sacral dimension. The content remains only to the performers as the singers articulate only vocals of the poem to purify the verbal material cutting off the consonants as word attacks as it can be seen in the instrumental parts as well - all the notes the string and wind players produce start from the silence, reach the general dynamics and vanish into silence, creating the "underwater" pulsations, unifying the timbres and homogenizing the texture. The poetry of Skujenieks was chosen not only for its literal sense, but also for the poet's connections with Lithuania as a part of the historical, cultural and linguistic relationship of our two countries - very important for me and musically realized by continuous collaboration with Latvian artists. tik skaistu kalnu mums nav mums mākoņi dzimst uz zemes blakām vītola atvasēm blakām stirnas bērniem un kad mākoņi salasās debesīs tie ir tie mūsu kalni kur mums augstu un balti domāt tāpat kā visiem citiem Justė Janulytė. “Observation of Clouds” for voices, double wind quintet and strings (2012) Justė Janulytė. “Observation of Clouds” for voices, double wind quintet and strings (2012)