FIREFLY -after Tokyo Blues-
Year of composition: 2019
This work was awarded with the 'Francisco Guerrero Marín' award in the 'XXX Young Composers Award SGAE-CNDM Foundation'.
Length: 11 minutes
Scored for: chamber ensemble of eight players
Opus 20a - AA202019
Premiere:
First performance was given by KOAN 2 Ensemble, conducted by José Ramón Encinar, at 400 Auditorium in the Queen Sofia National Museum Art Centre, Madrid, on November 18, 2019.
Please note:
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Study score
Price:
45.00€
Full set
Price:
90.00€
Brief notes:
Firefly - after Tokyo Blues - was awarded with the 'Francisco Guerrero Marín' award in the 'XXX Young Composers Award SGAE-CNDM Foundation 2019. First performance was given by KOEN 2 Ensemble, conducted by José Ramón Encinar, at 400 Auditorium in the Queen Sofia National Museum Art Centre, Madrid (Spain) on November 18, 2019.
The title of the piece is taken from a short story by Murakami Haruki, also titled Firefly, which was published in the collection ‘Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman’ (1980 to 2005). The story is a nostalgic tale of loss and burgeoning sexuality, described from a first-person perspective. The music of Firefly tries to capture the psychology of the characters, as richly described by Murakami, alternating between an intimate mood of despair and sexuality, continuously guided by the ruinous memory of a song that links and shapes the whole piece - 'Norwegian wood (This bird has flown)' by the Beatles (1965). Murakami used this short story as the cornerstone of his successful bestseller, 'Norwegian wood' (1987).
Firefly is structured in a binary system, with the thematic material encapsulated in the first nine measures. The bass clarinet introduces the first idea immediately, which is developed from a polytonal system, and is rather seductive, even somewhat cynical. The second idea is an atomization of the popular song "Norwegian wood (This bird has flown)" by the Beatles, from their 1965 album "Rubber Soul". These materials are kept in a constant volatile state during the subsequent development, with a particular emphasis on the technique of "Klangfarbenmelodie" (sound-color melody), which involves breaking a melodic line between several instruments. Firefly is also a revisitation and reinterpretation of the composer's previous piece, Tokyo Blues, which was scored for soprano and piano with digital extensions in 2017.
Firefly – after Tokyo blues – obtuvo el premio 'Francisco Guerrero Marín' en el 'XXX Premio Jóvenes Compositores de la Fundación SGAE-CNDM 2019. El estreno corrió a cargo de KOEN 2 Ensemble, bajo la dirección de José Ramón Encinar, en la Auditorio 400 del Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía de Madrid, el 18 de noviembre del 2019.
Esta pieza toma su título del relato homónimo de Murakami Haruki, publicado dentro de la colección ‘Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman’ (Sauce ciego, mujer dormida), escrita entre 1980 y el 2005. Murakami describe – desde una perspectiva en primera persona – una historia nostálgica que trata los temas de la pérdida y la sexualidad. La música intenta adentrarse a través de la psicología de los personajes, ricamente descrita por Murakami, alternando entre un íntimo estado de animo de desesperación y sexo, guiado continuamente por el ruinoso recuerdo de una canción que aúna y da forma a toda la pieza... 'Norwegian wood: This bird has flown' (Madera Noruega: Este pájaro ha volado) de Los Beatles (1965). Murakami tomó este cuento como piedra angular de su exitoso bestseller, 'Norwegian wood' (Tokio blues) escrito en 1987.
Firefly (Luciérnaga) se construye en derredor de un sistema binario, con todo el material temático encapsulado en los primeros nueve compases. La primera idea es introducida inmediatamente por el clarinete bajo, con un carácter bastante seductor, incluso algo cínico, construyéndose enteramente a partir de un sistema politonal. La segunda idea es una atomización de la popular canción "Norwegian wood (This bird has flown)" de Los Beatles, presentada en su álbum de 1965 "Rubber Soul" (Alma de goma). Los materiales se mantienen constantemente en un estado volátil durante el consiguiente desarrollo de los gestos iniciales, poniendo especial énfasis en la técnica "Klangfarbenmelodie" (melodía de colores), que es una técnica musical consistente en quebrar una línea melódica entre varios instrumentos. Por otra parte, Firefly es una revisión (y/o reinterpretación) de otra de mis composiciones, Tokyo Blues, compuesta para soprano y piano con extensiones digitales en el 2017.