World Premiere at ITEC2012

 

PULSE, Sonate for Euphonium, Oliver Waespi

Oliver Waespi

 

PULSE

Sonata for euphonium and piano

 

Program note

 

The term "Pulse" means heartbeat, but also bears a reference to continuity in musical rhythm. The euphonium sonata “Pulse” explores ways in which musical pulse evolves out of basic rhythmical patterns. The first and third movements (“molto vivace” and “molto agitato” respectively) are similar in structure: the first gestures of both the euphonium and the piano expose some of the basic material of each movement, but lack a distinctive rhythmical shape. It is only as the movements progress that various forms of pulse arise. Different rhythmical patterns are often intertwined with each other, thereby creating surprising, uneven rhythms. The middle part of each movement is characterized by a virtuosic solo cadenza of the euphonium, conceived as some kind of baroque fantasia. While the rhythmic intensity of the first movement is gradually fading towards its ending, the third movement features a pulsation which gets more and more regular as the music progresses. Finally, the third movement gradually turns into some kind of bacchanal bearing slight allusions to funk music, which brings the whole sonata to a close.

 

In contrast to the other movements, the second movement (“poco andante”) explores widely spaced lyrical lines. These are evolving around a harmonic progression which is first exposed in its original form at the beginning and finds itself mirrored later on after yet another euphonium cadenza. With its calm flow of music and its numerous hidden harmonic and intervallic relationships, the second movement contains some of the pivotal moments of the whole sonata.

 

The euphonium sonata "Pulse" was developed out of my sonata for viola and piano, commissioned by violinist and violist Pedro Meireles and first performed at the Gulbenkian Foundation, Lisbon, in 2007. The commission was kindly supported by the Kultur Stadt Bern and the Kulturförderung des Kantons Bern. The setting for euphonium and piano is scheduled for first performance by euphonium soloist Ueli Kipfer.

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