Vladimir Tosic
Program notes
for two pianos or piano in four hands
Composition Dual was composed in 1992, originally for flute and double bass. This unusual combination of two melodic instruments of different registers determined the texture and the organization of this composition as well as its title (DUo+ALiquot). Soon new versions of this piece were created-for piano, for two pianos, for two guitars, string quartet as well as a large orchestra. All these were often performed at concerts and on television.
The
entire composition is based on only two complementary lines and melodic series
of eight tones without a single dense harmonic vertical. This melodic series,
based on harmonic mode underlying most of my compositions, is evoked alternately
by discant and bass.
The
main series is presented as a whole in octaves and then treated differently
in four sections thus becoming a sort of variation. The second section witnesses
the imitation of bass and discant based on ever-encreasing repetitive pattern.
In the third section the melodic series appears in the repetitive model of discant
divided into groups of three tones above the regular bass. The fourth section
is dominated by bass creating the distinctive rhytmic ostinato repetitive models
based on four tones of series each. The fifth section is dominated by the discant
melodic line leading slowly to calmness, which is also in the framework of four
tone repetitive model. The sixth section is a coda where the discant-bass dialogue
leads the music slowly to the original silence which generated it in the first
place.
The
main features of this and my other compositions are:
processual
organization, a piece is created by gradual development of the initial
melodic core with no abrupt changes or interruptions. Unlike some other earlier
compositions which had been based on a single process, this one was created
through a few short successive processes thus enabling a greater flow of occurences
in time.
reduction,
the piece is based on the minimal sound material, in this case the melodic series
of eight different tones of harmonic mode.
repetition,
a piece is created by an insistent recurrence of melodic-rhytmic models which
are changing gradually and subtly thus creating the development and leading
to the culmination.
Beograd,
4. August 2000.
for flute or soprano
and piano
The composition Voxal
(Sweet Song-Sweet Music)
was created
in the period of
November 1995 - February
1996. After
some previous
pieces consisting of comparatively striking rhytmic-melodic elements
(Dual, Trial, Etnal), I felt like creating some music of quite calm,
relaxed flow
and long
breath, without
tension and
a long
development. That was how a cycle of compositions entitled Voxal was made,
the one
based on
the same
melodic - harmonic line, for voice and piano, flute and piano, solo
piano, two pianos and strings orchestra and piano.
The piece is primarily based on the sequencing of harmonies
consisting of three tones taken in turn from the
basic eight-tone
melodic series of the harmonic mode. The solo part (flute or voice) merely
supports these melodic triads
without too
much emphasis.
There are three
sections, the
first and
third ones
being comparatively symmetrical in relation to the central one.
The first and
third sections
have been
created by
the three-tone melodic-harmonic models. In each new model one tone
changes while the other two remain the same as in the previous model. In the central section the models consist of two tones
each, the third is always the basic tone
of the series and appears as a pedal
tone. There
also exists
in all
three sections
a moderate rhythmic development
to supplement
the basic
melodic-harmonic one. However, throughout the whole piece an essential
atmosphere prevails,
changing very
little, the
whole development is quite
moderate, soft and discreet.
Like all of my compositions, this one is also characterised by:
reduction,
because the
piece has
been based
on minimum
sound material, i.e. the melodic series of eight different tones of the
harmonic mode appearing on the horizontal-melodic line as well as
the vertical-harmonic constructs of the piece.
repetition,
because the
piece has
been created
by the
persistant repetition
of melodic-rhythmic
models which
change gradually, almost imperceptibly,
thus developing and leading to the culmination.
processual organization, because it
has been
created by gradual,
continuous development
from the
initial melodic
core without abrupt contrasts
and breaks.
Belgrade 4.3.1996.