related works
Sinfonie für Jedermann : für Kammerorchester und viele andere / Merlijn Twaalfhoven
Genre:
Orchestra
Subgenre:
Orchestra
Eight movements for string quartet : 1991 / Frans Mulder
Genre:
Chamber music
Subgenre:
String quartet (2 violins, viola, cello)
Scoring:
2vl vla vc
I wish we could run away to the hills : for string quartet / Chiel Meijering
Genre:
Chamber music
Subgenre:
String quartet (2 violins, viola, cello)
Scoring:
2vl vla vc
Il pensiero : voor strijkkwartet, 1961 / Hendrik Andriessen
Genre:
Chamber music
Subgenre:
String quartet (2 violins, viola, cello)
Scoring:
2vl vla vc
composition
On Parole : for string quartet (version for professionals and non-professionals) / Merlijn Twaalfhoven
Other authors:
Twaalfhoven, Merlijn
(Composer)
Description:
Isn’t the synergy and concord of the players the essence of music? Real harmony can only exist when musicians open themselves up towards the others and find a unity together.
Western music uses bar lines, the time signature and the movement of a conductor to facilitate the effective togetherness of the players. Such tools became a big success in music history and today it’s self evident that we notate music in bars, beats and systems. Is playing together the same as playing in time? Not at all. Especially in chamber music, you can witness sometimes the magical moment when the musicians overcome the bare structure of the music and seem to play freely, independent of the bar lines. This phenomenon inspired me to search for the tension between freedom and togetherness.
At the start of “on parole”, there are no bar lines to restrict or imprison the notes. The musicians play together but not in the same beat, encouraged to experience a freedom that’s rare in classical music.
The non-professionals are added in this special edition, to widen the sound color and create space in literary sense for the music to escape the usual restrictions.
This freedom is not boundless though. The music would loose it’s meaning when the musicians would loose each other and play just for themselves. Therefore the composition is a constant search for togetherness in the realm of freedom. This score is accompanied by a preparation sheet for the non profs. They don't need to prepare much. Just learn a few notes by heart. All other musical activities of the non profs are based on the imitation of and direction by the soloists.