Composers spotlight: Ayal Adler and Kareem Roustom

Ramal

Resonating Sounds

The title

refers to an echo, or a reminiscence of sound, lingering after the vast chords slowly fade away... This sonic image opens the work as the whole orchestra plays an immense cluster, followed by a delicate string section of transparent melodic fragments in high register. This contract between intense, concrete and subtle, somewhat abstract, events continues throughout the course of the piece and helps shape its overall formal structure. The work is written in two main movements, divided into sections and played without a pause. While the first movement is relatively tranquil in nature, the second moves towards extremes of expression, such as: very high and low registers of brass and strings; abrupt changes of tempi and dynamics; and massive “tutti” elements played by the entire orchestra followed by chamber-like sections of piano and flutes. The final section of the work includes a recapitulation of previous events and thus provides a sense of closure. The idea of echo/resonance and reminiscence now returns in different modalities: a lyric, multi-layered, 12-part polyphonic section is played by the violas, followed by a fast, intensive passage by the whole orchestra, giving way once again to a pensive viola section… Throughout the course of the work, a variety of textures is displayed: various polyphonic and micro-polyphonic techniques, heterophony, etc. While polyphony and various forms of imitation characterize some sections, others are vertical in nature, dominated by immense chords/clusters interspersed with inner voice leading. The sonic element also plays an important role.

The players engage in various advanced coloristic techniques, such as playing very close to the bridge; overblowing; microtonal glissandi and trills, and so forth. These techniques create a rich listening experience of shifting colors and shades, at times merging and melting into one another.

is a commissioned work for the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra. The work is dedicated to Daniel Barenboim and the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra.

March 2014 ###

(b. 1971)

– Al-Farabi

is the name of one of sixteen pre-Islamic Arabic poetic meters used in classical Arabic poetry. Each of these poetic meters is comprised of multiple variations of the verb فعل (fa’al), which means 'to do'. These variants of fa’al are constructed by combining a series of unaccented [o] and accented [/] syllables. The variation of the ramal poetic meter used in this work follows this pattern: فاعلاتن فاعلن فاعلاتن فاعلاتانﻥ as symbol (read left to right): /o//o/o - /o//o - /o//o/o - /o//o/oo as musical meter: 8/8 7/8 5/8 7/8 This poetic meter is used as a structural framework throughout the work. The opening section expands the metric cycle by gradually adding rests to each measure, while the closing section contracts by gradually removing the added rests. The middle, and largest, section of the piece develops the rhythmic and melodic motifs with contrasting moods that range from intimate and reflective to declamatory and strident.

Although the work is not programmatic in its design, its emotional drive and changing meters reflect the unsettled state of the world, specifically the devastating current situation in Syria. Despite all this, there is a tone of defiance in Ramal. Dedicated to the memory of Edward Said, Ramal is inspired by his steadfast determination to speak truth to power.

  © 2014 Layali Music Publishing, BMI

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