related works
6 Etats intermédiaires : Sinfonia for orchestra / Alexandre Rabinovitch-Barakovsky
Genre:
Orchestra
Subgenre:
Orchestra
Iserna : voor 4 orkestgroepen, 1982 / Peter Plompen
Genre:
Orchestra
Subgenre:
Orchestra
Scoring:
4233 2sax-a 4231 str(12.6.6.4.)
Tableaux : for orchestra / David Rowland
Genre:
Orchestra
Subgenre:
Orchestra
Scoring:
3333 4331 3perc cel hp str
Bad Skin Miseries : for string quartet / Chiel Meijering
Genre:
Chamber music
Subgenre:
String quartet (2 violins, viola, cello)
Scoring:
2vl vla vc
composition
La lucerna del mondo : for symphony orchestra, 1996/revision 2005 / Jacob ter Veldhuis
Other authors:
(Composer)
Description:
Program note (English): "The lantern of the world approaches mortals by varied paths; but on that way which links four circles with three crosses, it emerges joined to a better constellation and along a better course, and it can temper and stamp the world's wax more in its own manner." This is one of the most enigmatic parts of Dante's Divina Comedia. According to Dutch translator Frans van Dooren, Dante is referring to the beginning of spring. The 4 circles probably represent the zodiac, the equator, the equinoctial colure, and the horizon, which cuts the others, resulting in 3 crosses. 'La lucerna' stands for the sun, or God, and the 4 circles and 3 crosses also represent the 4 cardinal and the 3 divine virtues respectively. The composition is mainly based on the seven-tone scale of D-flat major or b-flat minor. In the score, these 7 tones more or less act for the 4 circles and the 3 crosses. In the grand finale of the piece, all seven tones come together (first in the French horns on page 36, bars
95, 96 and 97: 3 crosses, 4 circles, 3 crosses), after which the orchestra forms a giant cluster, which stands for 'la lucerna del mondo', the lantern of the world. - JACOB TER VELDHUIS