Product Description
In 2014 I created a piece called World Enigma 1 for the Chinese two-string
fiddle, the erhu, and piano, in which I create a simple music using mainly the
five traditional notes of most Chinese music. I created an ambiguous music that
enigmatically straddles cultures. I added the "1" to the title because I could
see that more of these would come. And so now comes the solo cello piece, the
second in the series.
In World Enigma 2, the enigma is the resonance of the cello (or viola) itself,
specifically, the strong first four overtones of the lower strings. This set of
notes becomes the material for the piece itself. When notes go in fast
succession, we focus on the movement; when notes change more slowly, we hear
their timbral structure. These two observations govern the evolution of the
piece. The additive structure of the first half of the piece presents the
listener with the same material repeated, with new material added at the end of
each repetition; the cycle point arrives each time with a little surprise, as
the first two notes of the piece are at once an opening and closing gesture.
Long tones are, by themselves, almost devoid of culture; the faster music
becomes, the more associations the listener may build to their cultural
knowledge. The second enigma, or perhaps surprise, is the apparition of the Bach Suite quote.
Thanks to my dear friend Rick Carswell for commissioning this music.
I hope you enjoy this enigma.
This product was created by a member of ArrangeMe, Hal Leonard's global self-publishing community of independent composers, arrangers, and songwriters. ArrangeMe allows for the publication of unique arrangements of both popular titles and original compositions from a wide variety of voices and backgrounds.