related works
1494 : for voice and instrumental ensemble, 1992-1993 / Kim Bowman
Genre:
Vocal music
Subgenre:
Voice and large ensemble; Voice and orchestra
Scoring:
sopr(perc) 1001 2200 2perc hp pf vl vla vc cb / sopr(perc) 1001 2200 2perc hp pf str
Big marble : voor kamerorkest, 1986 / Ig Henneman
Genre:
Orchestra
Subgenre:
Orchestra
Scoring:
2222 2211 2perc cel hp pf str
Necropolis : Five miniatures for symphony orchestra / David Mastikosa
Genre:
Orchestra
Subgenre:
Orchestra
Scoring:
picc 2fl 2ob 2cl cl-b 2fg 4h 2tpt 2trb-t trb-b tb perc pf str
Sinfonietta : per orchestra, 1956 / Wim Franken
Genre:
Orchestra
Subgenre:
Orchestra
Scoring:
3222 4231 timp perc hp str
composition
Metamorphosis : for orchestra / Kim Bowman
Other authors:
Bowman, Kim
(Composer)
Description:
The writing of Metamorphosis for orchestra started off as an editing process of an old piece, written twenty years ago, using a composing application on the computer. Twenty years is a long time and the world and I had changed. Accordingly I saw the old piece disappear instead of being reworked and metamorphose into a new identity. It was like painting over an old canvas. Fresh music was written on top of the old. But undoubtedly some of the old had transferred into the new. And like the shell of a Cicada nymph that is left behind as a witness of the metamorphosis into its next stage in life and new form, the old piece is still hidden in the memory of the computer. Hypothetically by clicking ‘undo’ for every entry made to write the new piece, the old piece would eventually, after thousands of ‘undo’s’ re-appear from underneath.
Another analogy of this work process: Imagine a mountain range that is flooded until only the highest peaks remain above the water. That last bit of material that protrudes from the water becomes the new building blocks that I start expanding and multiplying into new structures.
"If" for soprano, violin, cello and orchestra written in 2016 has become a pivotal piece in my oeuvre in that it breaks with my previous hectic, recalcitrant style and dense scoring. It is much more a contemplative and smoothly flowing piece. Somehow Metamorphosis has revealed itself as a result of merging both styles of writing, but clearly is a much more aerodynamic piece than anything I have written before "If".