composer
Edward Top was born in Ommen, the Netherlands, in 1972. Top has lived and worked in London, Bangkok, and Rotterdam. He now lives in Vancouver, Canada. Top studied composition and ...
related works
String quartet : for string quartet, 1998 / Edward Top
Genre:
Chamber music
Subgenre:
String Quartet (2 violins, viola, cello)
Scoring:
2vl vla vc
Springs Eternal : for orchestra / Giel Vleggaar
Genre:
Orchestra
Subgenre:
Orchestra
Scoring:
2fl 2ob 2cl 2fg 4h 4trp 2trb trb-b 2tb timp 4perc 2hp str
Hexameron : 'Phagocitosis' : for orchestra / Jan Vriend, 2006/2007
Genre:
Orchestra
Subgenre:
Orchestra
Scoring:
pic(fl) fl(pic) ob eh cl cl-b fg cfg 4h 2trp 2trb trb-b tb 3perc 4timp hp str
The Zombies Awake : for chamber orchestra / Chiel Meijering
Genre:
Orchestra
Subgenre:
Orchestra
Scoring:
2picc 2fl 2ob 2cl perc pf hp str
composition
Symphony : Golden dragon, for orchestra, 2001 / Edward Top
Description:
Program note (English): There are three main elements onto which this piece is constructed. 1) Sound: this is often created by successions of clusters; I shall call them cluster-chorales, hissing sounds (strings), chromatic walls, and/or modal sound fields. - 2) Motives: there are a number of motives of different character forming the basis of the composition, either tonal-melodic or harmonic and chromatic. - 3) Traditional gestures: a lot of gestures in the piece originate from traditional symphonic music. The final chorale towards the end of the work is some sort of blown up Tchaikowski. The three elements join each other in a fourth element: Layers. On many occasions there are different elements sounding simultaneously and in different instrumental groupings. An important feature in the Symphonys orchestration is the particular octave doubling, or being 'on the verge of octavation'. Idea is to create extra tension by not resolving dirty octaves, i.e. major sevenths and minor ninths. One could say
the orchestration has become part of compositional ideas, even with finding pitches. After its original setting including Wagner tubas and contrabass trombone, the symphony was revised in 2001 and the orchestration was reduced. - EDWARD TOP