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Ryan Wigglesworth's Violin Concerto Premieres at Netherlands Chamber Orchestra

Feb. 01, 2012

Ryan Wigglesworth's Violin Concerto Premieres at Netherlands Chamber Orchestra

On Feb 17 and 18 Ryan Wigglesworth’s new violin concerto premieres with the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra. The ensemble’s Composer-in-Residence, Wigglesworth will also conduct the premiere, which features soloist Gordan Nikolic.

Wigglesworth comments:

[the Violin Concerto] explores the lyrical characteristics of the solo instrument. At the beginning of piece, and apart from a brief cadenza-like moment towards the close of the introduction, the violin utters short melodic fragments, only gradually taking on a more dominant role as the work progresses. For the most part the orchestra is used economically, with full forces being reserved for the concerto’s main climaxes.

In a sense, the dramaturgy of the piece centers on a twofold search: first there is the ongoing pursuit to ‘recapture’ the simple melodic material stated by the solo violin (accompanied only by the harp’s bass register) in the opening bars. While aspects of this melody are frequently hinted at subsequently, it is only at the last, and most important, climax of the work that the melody appears again in its complete form, though now rendered as strident octaves by the violin and accompanied by violent, full orchestral stabs. The second search is for a tonal resting place, the arrival of which is delayed until the close of the epilogue.

Learn more about the music of Ryan Wigglesworth at www.schott-music.com.

Ryan Wigglesworth
Violin Concerto (2011)
for violin and orchestra
2(2.pic).2.2.1.cbsn-2.2.0.0-timp-hp-str
13’

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