composer
Willem Jeths was born on August 31, 1959 in Amersfoort, The Netherlands.
Education: Jeths started his musical career as a child with piano and music theory lessons in the Music School of Amersfoort with ...
related works
24 capriccio's voor viool solo
Genre:
Chamber music
Subgenre:
Violin
Scoring:
vl
Capriccio : (opus 19), for violin and piano, (1939) / Léon Orthel
Genre:
Chamber music
Subgenre:
Violin and keyboard instrument
Scoring:
vl pf
Sonatine : voor viool en piano, (1942) / Hans Osieck
Genre:
Chamber music
Subgenre:
Violin and keyboard instrument
Scoring:
vl pf
Sonate 2 : viool en piano / Jan Masséus
Genre:
Chamber music
Subgenre:
Violin and keyboard instrument
Scoring:
vl pf
composition
Novelette : for violin and piano, 1986 / Willem Jeths
Description:
Program note (English): This piece originated in a meeting with the pianist Reinild Mees, who was searching, together with violinist Isabelle van Keulen, for a new composition for violin and piano.
'Novelette' is a work in one movement. However, clearly marked sections can be discerned that differ strongly in atmosphere and intention. As the whole work is constructed with the same tone material, the sense of musical unity is not harmed. In the first and last of the four sections, the form is based on numerical structures, which determine the growing and shrinking of phrases. Especially in the last movement ('Quasi una cadenza'), the growing and shrinking can be heard very clearly. The final tone of this section, f sharp, continuously increases in duration until a quasi-endless tone finally disappears into thin air. Often a long tone in the violin ends in a "scraping" sound. This sound is made by pushing the bow heavily on the string, coupled with an increase of speed of the bow towards the end of the crescendo. Finally, at the height of the crescendo, the bow stops on the string.
'Novelette' opens with a 'secco-chord in the piano; this chord already contains the germ of the tone material with which the whole piece is constructed. The chord is made horizontal by way of a process determined by numerical structures. Slowly, a melodic shape is built from the chord. After this section, in which construction and effect are at the centre, a more static, quieter fragment follows. The next section is very rhythmic, ending in a 'quasi' cadenza that works as a catalytic agent: the tension that was built up in the previous section is brought to a standstill.
In fact, the work shows a somewhat classical structure with regard to tension: the first section is dynamic, the second static, the third dynamic and the fourth static. - WILLEM JETHS