Suitcases
1 - Coal
Part of: Transience
Contrabassoon, bass trombone, tuba, bass drum, tam-tam, harp, strings (vlc, cb)
The first suitcase contains the plot of the whole work, presented in an embryonic and symbolic form, as well as coal, which can undoubtedly be considered one of the "primae materiae" of our civilizations, its use dating back a thousand years before our era. Coal is black, of course, but oily, speckled with shifting reflections that emanate from the darkness like reminders of that ancient light that shone long ago on these plants, now carbonized, or as promises of heat to come. This source of fossil energy, this death that gives life, is really the point of birth, the act of fertilization of the whole work.
2 - Toys
Part of: Transience
Piccolo, flute, glockenspiel, vibraphone, harp, celesta, strings (vl1, vl2, vle)
Here is a glimpse of fleeting memories of early youth. Some toys, sparkling sounding objects are thrown together like artifacts of childish emotions and enthusiasms, suddenly resurrected in our memories before returning to be buried forever in our ancient past.
3 - Luper photos
Part of: Transience
Piccolo, 2 flutes, english horn, 3 clarinets in Bb, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 french horns, 3 trumpets in Bb, 2 trombones, bass trombone, tuba, timpani, snare drum, pair of cymbals, bass drum, triangle, glockenspiel, vibraphone, harp, celesta, strings
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5/6 - Clothes
Part of: Transience
4 french horns, 2 trombones, bass trombone, tuba, strings
Images:
«A man and a woman - apparently lovers and Jewish, are forced to undress by (...) Nazi soldiers at the end of a railway station platform. They remove their clothes and place them in suitcases by their feet. One of the soldiers lashes the two suitcases together with a rope. A tragedy ensues...
Luper himself found the suitcases and for years, though without avail, he searched for the identity of the two lovers.»
Musically, symmetry catalyzes the drama of the context on all levels and through several temporal knots. In addition to the physical symbolism of the clothes, there is the internal characteristic that can be found in any symmetrical structure, where each object is inevitably closed in on itself, hermetically sealed, insensitive to any external stimulus, like the two suitcases, two signs of memory forever drowned in a sea of ignorance and oblivion.
7 - Vatican pornography
Part of: Transience
4 french horns, 3 trumpets in Bb, trombone, bass trombone, tuba, timpani, crash cymbal, bass drum, tam-tam, triangle, vibraphone, strings
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8 - Fish
Part of: Transience
3 french horns, 2 trumpets in Bb, 2 trombones, glockenspiel, vibraphone, harp, piano, strings (vlc, cb)
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9 - Pencils
Part of: Transience
Piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, english horn, 3 clarinets in Bb, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 french horns, 3 trumpets in Bb, 2 trombones, bass trombone, tuba, timpani, snare drum, bass drum, piano, strings
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11 - Moab photographs
Part of: Transience
2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets in Bb, 2 french horns, strings (vl1, vl2, vle, vlc)
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