Devotion
(1996)
for flute, violin, viola, cello
6:30
In a world devoted to overstatement, Devotion
is a single-movement work that hews closely to a very simple
theme in an unassuming manner. Composed in Medieval clausula
form (a type of variation in which the melody is intertwined
with fragments of itself), the piece uses the flute to state
its theme with three increasingly fervent variations. The three
string instruments, playing the intertwining fragments, are
muted and bowing over the fingerboards throughout, hovering
around the flute melody in a subdued testament to fidelity.
The blend of compositional techniques in this piece, drawn from
six centuries of musical evolution, conveys a sense of stylistic
timelessness, resulting in a work that seemingly originates
outside the course of music history.
ORDER DEVOTION:
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| “This is a lovely and haunting work.” |
- William Thomas Walker,
CVNC |
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