Constellations MVMT II: Journey Through The Night

2nd movement of the 2 movement work "Constellations." Original composition ca 2011. Software used: Finale 2011. I apologize for the sound and tone of finale's piano. I will eventually upload a version with live performers. Program notes:
"Like grains of sand on a beach, our universe is made up of an infinite number of stars. Each of them, so very similar and yet, so unique. Sailing endlessly on cosmic winds through a vastness so large, we can barely comprehend it. "
--Carl Sagan

"Constellations" tells the story of a woman, who, frustrated and dissatisfied with life lies awake at night, staring at the stars. She contemplates her existence on this earth, and wonders: "What else is out there?" ....

This two-movement work begins with the title; "Somewhere out there" and we can hear our character's plight through the opening rubato line in the piano. The solo violin takes us on a trip to the great beyond with soaring, spacey melodies, telling the tale of our character's mental voyage through space.

The first movement ends with a large chromatic modulation and ritard, which leads us right into the rubato solo violin opening of the second movement. The theory is to take a small, if at all pause, before beginning the second movement. All the rubato sections of the work are to be interpreted by the performer, just as one would individually interpret constellations in the night sky.

The second movement begins, or rather continues from the previous movements ending modulation. We hear spacey and very rhythmically free solo line from the violin, which is then mimicked in the piano. Then, almost out of nowhere, the piano takes off, and there is an abrupt tempo change, just like a shooting star takes off through the night sky. There is a lot of trading, both rhythmic and melodic happening between the violin and the piano. After a flurry of notes from the piano, emulating a soaring imagination, flying through a field of meteors and dreams, the climax is reached. Just as you begin to think the piece will slow down and conclude, the pianist and violin erupt into a recapitulation of the original theme, with the piece finally coming to an end with a rhythmic explosion!

This work was dedicated and written for Ms. Laura Lake, as a challenge to her musicianship, and her mind.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• music
• composition
• carl sagan
• space
• constellations
• lior david shragg
• piano
• violin