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- for piano trio
- By:
- Duration:
- 10' 00"
- Instrumentation:
- violin, cello, piano (some preparation required); all performers required to speak
Piano preparation: the strings between c’’’ and a’’’ need to have a flat metal object laid on top to achieve a bright, jangly ringing sonority (especially from mm 26-37). This/these to be removed by the pianist in the section from m 45.
The three strings F, G, A flat, should have firm rubber wedges between them to create a dull thuddy sonority (for the section at m42), but with a still discernible pitch
Availability
- This work has 3 scores and 2 recordings
Programme Note
At water’s birth is a meditative, ritualistic work, whose sonic palette includes prepared piano sonorities and some vocalising from the players, including whispering, spoken words and whistling.
The pushing out of the boundaries of the conventional instrumental sounds is something I have employed in other works such as the whistling and knocking on the piano lid in small blue for piano and the bell and tamtam playing in Ring True. The meandering sections of the music suggest a relationship with the forces of water, its depth, currents and undercurrents and there is a sense of ritual in some of the chant-like rhythms.
- Text Note:
- Denys Trussell – excerpt from 'Archipelago'
- Commissioned:
- Commissioned by the New Zealand Trio
- Difficulty:
- Advanced
- Influences:
Performance History
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13 Apr 2008 |
Performed by Justine Brown (violin), Ashley Brown (cello) and Sarah Watkins (piano) at the Great Hall, Arts Centre in Christchurch |
| NZTrio | ||
| 20 Apr 2008 |
Performed by Justine Brown (violin), Ashley Brown (cello) and Sarah Watkins (piano) at the Ilott Concert Chamber, Town Hall, Wellington |
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| NZTrio | ||
| 23 Apr 2008 |
Performed by Justine Brown (violin), Ashley Brown (cello) and Sarah Watkins (piano) at the Music Theatre, University of Auckland, Auckland |
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| NZTrio | ||
| 03 Aug 2008 |
Performed by the NZTrio, comprising violinist Justine Cormack, cellist Ashley Brown and pianist Sarah Watkins at Music Theatre, University of Auckland in Auckland |
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| NZTrio | ||
| 11 Nov 2009 |
Performed by NZTrio at St Andrew’s Church in Taupo |
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| NZTrio | ||
| 13 Nov 2009 |
Performed by NZTrio at The Hills in Queenstown |
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| NZTrio | ||
| 14 Nov 2009 |
Performed by NZTrio at the Marama Hall, University of Otago, in Dunedin |
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| NZTrio | ||
| 15 Nov 2009 |
Performed by NZTrio at the Ashburton Art Gallery in Ashburton |
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| NZTrio | ||
| 22 Nov 2009 |
Performed by NZTrio at Auckland Town Hall Concert Chamber in Auckland |
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| NZTrio | ||
| 24 Nov 2009 |
Recording of performance by the NZTrio, comprising violinist Justine Cormack, cellist Ashley Brown and pianist Sarah Watkins at Music Theatre, University of Auckland in Auckland, was broadcast on “Sound Lounge”, Radio New Zealand Concert |
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| NZTrio | ||
| 14 Jul 2011 |
Performed by NZTrio – Justine Cormack (violin), Ashley Brown (cello) and Sarah Watkins (piano) at the Butchers’ Hall in London, as part of the 2011 City of London Festival |
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| NZTrio |