Reverie (1995–1996)
for two pianos
Revised 1999
African Journal No 22
Publisher: Bardic Edition
Published by Bardic Edition BD 0691 (two copies)
Available from Goodmusic Publishing
Duration: c. 12'30"
Recording
DVD: "Reverie", directed by Aryan Kaganof, played by Jill Richards (piano 1 and 2)
Première
First performance: Sunday 31 March 1996; Africa 95, ICA, London, United Kingdom; Sally Rose & Antony Gray pianos
Further performances: 8.07.1997; National Arts Festival, Grahamstown, South Africa; Jill Richards & Mathilda Hornsveld pianos (South African premiere)
13.12.1997; Holywell Music Room, Oxford, UK; Michael Blake & Tim Parkinson pianos
20.02.1997; Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa; Jill Richards & Michael Blake pianos
2.03.1998; Studio für Neue Musik, Würzburg, Germany; Richards & Blake pianos (German premiere)
31.08.1998; University of Natal, Durban, South Africa; Richards & Blake pianos
1.09.1998; University of Durban-Westville, South Africa; Richards & Blake pianos
25.07.1999; Endler Hall, Stellenbosch University, South Africa; Richards & Blake pianos
26.07.1999; Chisholm Recital Room, Cape Town; Richards & Blake pianos
1.09.1999; Obelisk, University of Pretoria, South Africa; Jill Richards & Wessel van Wyk pianos
16.09.1999; Stichting Logos, Ghent, Belgium; Richards & Blake pianos (Belgian premiere)
18.09.1999; Expo Café, Hanover, Germany; Richards & Blake pianos
13.05.2000; Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam; Richards & Blake pianos (Dutch premiere)
17.05.2000; G Studio Centrum, Brno, Czech Republic; Richards & Blake pianos (Czech premiere)
19.05.2000; Germering Town Hall, Munich; Richards & Blake pianos
28.02.2001; Unisa Music Foundation, Pretoria, South Africa; Richards & Blake pianos
24.06.2001; Studio für Neue Musik, Würzburg, Germany; Philipp Vandré and Markus Stange pianos
3.07.2001; New Music Indaba, Grahamstown, South Africa; Richards & Blake pianos
28.02.2002; Ensemble Noir Series, Toronto; Richards & Blake pianos (North American premiere)
5.05.2002; Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa; Richards & Blake pianos
Programme note
The score is prefaced with lines from Olive Schreiner’s novel ‘Story of an African Farm’: … of the joy of the dreamer no man knoweth but he who dreameth … without phantoms and dreams man cannot exist. The musical material is derived from two vocal sources, one Shona and one San (Bushman), and is transformed by repetition and extension, superimposition and distortion. I suppose this is the stuff of dreams.
Meanwhile, having revised the work early in 1999, I subsequently noticed many fascinating parallels with the techniques of San rock painting during a visit to the remarkable paintings at Tandjesberg, near Ladybrand in the Free State. The coda was inspired by listening to a whole weekend of concerts of Charles Ives in London.
for two pianos
Revised 1999
African Journal No 22
Publisher: Bardic Edition
Published by Bardic Edition BD 0691 (two copies)
Available from Goodmusic Publishing
Duration: c. 12'30"
Recording
DVD: "Reverie", directed by Aryan Kaganof, played by Jill Richards (piano 1 and 2)
Première
First performance: Sunday 31 March 1996; Africa 95, ICA, London, United Kingdom; Sally Rose & Antony Gray pianos
Further performances: 8.07.1997; National Arts Festival, Grahamstown, South Africa; Jill Richards & Mathilda Hornsveld pianos (South African premiere)
13.12.1997; Holywell Music Room, Oxford, UK; Michael Blake & Tim Parkinson pianos
20.02.1997; Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa; Jill Richards & Michael Blake pianos
2.03.1998; Studio für Neue Musik, Würzburg, Germany; Richards & Blake pianos (German premiere)
31.08.1998; University of Natal, Durban, South Africa; Richards & Blake pianos
1.09.1998; University of Durban-Westville, South Africa; Richards & Blake pianos
25.07.1999; Endler Hall, Stellenbosch University, South Africa; Richards & Blake pianos
26.07.1999; Chisholm Recital Room, Cape Town; Richards & Blake pianos
1.09.1999; Obelisk, University of Pretoria, South Africa; Jill Richards & Wessel van Wyk pianos
16.09.1999; Stichting Logos, Ghent, Belgium; Richards & Blake pianos (Belgian premiere)
18.09.1999; Expo Café, Hanover, Germany; Richards & Blake pianos
13.05.2000; Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam; Richards & Blake pianos (Dutch premiere)
17.05.2000; G Studio Centrum, Brno, Czech Republic; Richards & Blake pianos (Czech premiere)
19.05.2000; Germering Town Hall, Munich; Richards & Blake pianos
28.02.2001; Unisa Music Foundation, Pretoria, South Africa; Richards & Blake pianos
24.06.2001; Studio für Neue Musik, Würzburg, Germany; Philipp Vandré and Markus Stange pianos
3.07.2001; New Music Indaba, Grahamstown, South Africa; Richards & Blake pianos
28.02.2002; Ensemble Noir Series, Toronto; Richards & Blake pianos (North American premiere)
5.05.2002; Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa; Richards & Blake pianos
Programme note
The score is prefaced with lines from Olive Schreiner’s novel ‘Story of an African Farm’: … of the joy of the dreamer no man knoweth but he who dreameth … without phantoms and dreams man cannot exist. The musical material is derived from two vocal sources, one Shona and one San (Bushman), and is transformed by repetition and extension, superimposition and distortion. I suppose this is the stuff of dreams.
Meanwhile, having revised the work early in 1999, I subsequently noticed many fascinating parallels with the techniques of San rock painting during a visit to the remarkable paintings at Tandjesberg, near Ladybrand in the Free State. The coda was inspired by listening to a whole weekend of concerts of Charles Ives in London.
