Donemus Webshop — All perishes ...

All perishes ... : 6 songs for flute and soprano (with some percussion), 1985 / words by Alkaios, Joep Straesser

Other authors:
Alkaios (Text writer/Librettist)
Straesser, Joep (Composer)
Description:
Program note (English): All perishes... was composed on text fragments of the Greek poet Alkaios, who lived about 600 BC and who was a contemporary of Sappho.
In the first song that begins with the text "All perishes...", which is partly repeated in the last song, dramatic events on a human level are treated like a counterpoint against the emotionless proceeding of time. Consequently a two-layer structure can be observe here; the developing tension in flute and voice, opposed to the unchanging continuation of a motive in the claves, to be handled by the singer. In the final part, flute and voice join the claves' motif, thus disappearing in time that proceeds unchangingly and leaves everything behind.
The second song is short, violent and eruptive for both flute and voice. It is a drinking song supported by beats on a cymbal with a somewhat theatrical and open end.
The third song with its extremely fragmentary and therefore very mysterious text begins with voice solo, alternated with ringing little bells. The flute re-appears in the middle part with murmuring sound, increasing until it more or less "outplays" the voice.
The fourth song can be regarded as the centre of the cycle. Flute and voice are in perfect harmony, supported by triangle.
The fifth song - the text merely consists of some, nearly totally isolated words -, is a solo for flute, in fact linked to the final part of the third song and in some places coloured by voice and cymbal.
The sixth song sketches with a few words a nature scene, evoking an atmosphere of infinity, which is even reinforced by a partial return of the first song and the claves motif. Time goes by, nature is unrelenting, and the work ends with the wish: "May you find safety..." - JOEP STRAESSER

Sheet Music
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Product	Description	Price/piece	Count
Score	Download to Newzik (B4), 18 pages	EUR 14.89
	Download as PDF (B4), 18 pages	EUR 17.86
	Hardcopy, normal size (B4), 18 pages	EUR 29.78
	Hardcopy, study size (A4), 18 pages	EUR 24.44