Rebirth
| Year Composed: | 2009 |
| Instrumentation: | bass clarinet, piano |
| Duration | 26 minutes |
| I | Lament |
| II | Dance of Shadows |
| III | Bridges | IV | Pillars of Light |
Audio Excerpts (MP3)
Program Notes
The musical and psychological journey from darkness to light which defines “Rebirth” is in an archetypal one, but one which can be retold from many perspectives. I discovered that, in seeking to forge a unique path of my own, I succeeded instead in personalizing an already-universal narrative. In this particular telling, the bass clarinet—its rich, dark tones complimented by a sweeping range of register and emotion—is the journey’s central figure, the prime subject of the musical drama. The piano becomes an orchestral force of nature, an environment which is not merely accompanimental, but one which actively shapes the course of musical events.
I. Lament
The music of “Rebirth” was conceived In the wake of (and as a response to) an invisible cataclysm beyond the scope of the work itself. The movement opens with a brooding, fractured melody in the lowest registers of the bass clarinet, emphasizing the interval of the perfect fifth. As it grows increasingly agitated, it is joined by the piano, and together they utter a primal cry of anguish. This is followed by a moment of respite, which proves short-lived; dark clouds, signified by the funereal ‘tolling’ of the piano, gather once more to support the bass clarinet’s lament, which surges towards a second and more expansive climax.
II. Dance of Shadows
This lively Allegro follows immediately after the introductory “Lament.” The interval of the fifth and an ornamental, vocal figure, two motives which dominated the first movement, now combine into a single theme which drives the rest of the movement. Here, suppressed energy and rage are unleashed in a tightly controlled manner, channeled through the confines of a vigorous, folk-like dance. The middle section features a return of the “Lament” material, shrouded in a haze of bass clarinet mutterings and eerie, nocturne-like piano figures. The recapitulation attempts to reprise the earlier dance, but collapses instead, exhausted.
III. Bridges
Intended as a tribute to human loss, “Bridges” forms the heart of the “Rebirth.” The title refers both to the structural transitions within the movement, which serve to connect two very different musical ‘planes,’ as well as the metaphysical bridges which allow us to move between psychological states, ie. from sadness to joy. Having absorbed the grief and pain of the earlier movements, the music now embarks on a radical departure, both stylistically and spiritually. Somber and reflective, both instruments now engage in an austere, two-part dialogue that recalls the passacaglias of Bach and Shostakovich. An abrupt change of key draws our attention to the movement’s first ‘bridge’, a soaring, dreamy piano interlude which suddenly sweeps us away into a fantastic new world. Cast in E minor (both a small step and a vast leap from the original key of E-flat minor), this middle section is drawn from the language of pop, Celtic dance, and ‘progressive’ rock. Related only distantly to previous material by the opening interval of the fifth, this new theme is symbolic of hope and life, although there are moments of grim determination amidst the festivities. A second bridge brings us back to the movement’s original material, and the movement concludes on a somber but serene note.
IV. Pillars of Light
The ‘tolling of bells’ motif heard in the piano part of the first movement now returns in full force, literally paving the foundation for the final movement. These low, repeated octaves are the ‘pillars’ of the movement’s title—pillars upon which the promise of revival, of rebirth, can rest. Mechanical and dissonant sounds from both instruments create an aura of menace at the outset, but this is soon swept away by the emergence of a new, heroic theme, built once again upon the work’s motivic pillars of I and V. From here on, the music grows increasingly ecstatic, incorporating and resolving fragments from “Dance of Shadows.” A penultimate moment of somber reflection precedes the final, explosive Presto.
Performances
- February 15, 2009 - Julia Stroud, bass clarinet; Katherine Dowling, piano. Walter Hall, Edward Johnson Building, Faculty of Music, Toronto.
- April 17, 2009 - Julia Stroud, bass clarinet; John Kruspe, piano. Walter Hall, Edward Johnson Building, Faculty of Music, Toronto.