Work

Programme Note

In the book Consciousness Explained Daniel Dennett convincingly argues that there is nothing about human consciousness, emotion or experience that cannot be encompassed by a purely physical, biological and mechanical explanation. We do not need to refer to some ‘soul’ or ’mind’s eye’ to describe our experiences. We are, in short, machines – just very clever machines.

These three short miniatures push the performer to the limits, yet, paradoxically, a ‘human’ reading of the score still brings to the surface a more energetic, compelling and arguably musical performance than a merely mechanical rendition.

Commissioned:

Commissioned by Stephen De Pledge

• Stephen De Pledge

Difficulty:

Intermediate

Difficulty Note:

Includes note clusters

Performance History

	25 May 2007	Performed by Stephen De Pledge (piano); Adam Concert Room, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington
		Stephen De Pledge
	02 Nov 2007	Performed by Stroma at St Andrew’s on The Terrace, Wellington
		Stroma
	27 Feb 2008	Performed by Stephen De Pledge at the Ilott Theatre, Town Hall Wellington, as part of the 2008 New Zealand International Arts Festival
		Stephen De Pledge
	25 Aug 2010	Performed by Stephen De Pledge (piano) as part of the Dartington International Summer School at the Great Hall, in Dartington, England
		Stephen De Pledge
	06 Apr 2011	Performed by Stephen De Pledge (piano) at the Auckland Town Hall Concert Chamber in Auckland, as part of the New Zealand International Piano Festival
		Stephen De Pledge
	04 Jul 2011	Performed by Stephen de Pledge (piano) at St Margaret’s Church Lothbury as part of the City of London Festival
		Stephen De Pledge
	22 Mar 2012	Performed by Stephen de Pledge at the University of Glasgow Concert Hall (22 March 2012) and at the University of Edinburgh Reid Concert Hall (23 March 2012), Scotland.
		Stephen De Pledge