Instrumentation: Solo Violin, Electronics
Duration: ca. 8:00
Program Note:
The Many Shapes of Light was inspired by the renovation of the Riverfront Park Pavilion in Spokane Washington. This structure (something like the metal ribbing of a large circus tent) was fitted with 479 LED light blades in September of 2019 and is now used as a public space for gatherings, concerts, and mesmerizing light shows.
This piece envisions the performer as being situated on the elevated catwalk in the middle of this space, playing along with the ever-changing, swirling lighting patterns and slowly encountering the natural wonders of the Pacific Northwest.
In addition to these local themes, the work is additionally inspired by two fragments of music. The first is a staple of the violin repertoire– J.S. Bach’s Partita in E Major, BWV 1006. I analyzed a short sample of a recording of the prélude from the Partita to arrive at the present work’s harmonic material.
The second fragment that contributes to the piece is the hymn tune, Go to Dark Gethsemane. The short melody bears some similarities to figuration from the Bach prélude and is quite personally meaningful. This tune is disguised in a few places throughout the work, and it gradually comes to the fore as the piece progresses.
The Many Shapes of Light was commissioned by violinist and composer Jesse Kaiser as part of an ongoing commissioning series for works for solo violin.
Premiere: March 15, 2021; Columbia, SC. Jesse Kaiser, violin.
Peter A. Underhill 