
This quiet and spacious miniature challenges the performer's ability to play within the lowest dynamic range of the piano. The gently sonorous opening bars return after a lightly animated central section. The change of pace reflects the fact that whispering can be either tender or moderately urgent.Commissioned by Norfolk and Norwich Music Club. First performed by Viv McLean, 10 December 2000, John Innes Centre, Colney lane, Norwich.
This musical composition explores the technical and expressive possibilities of extreme low-dynamic performance on the piano. Howard Skempton, a composer known for his minimalist and sparse aesthetic, utilizes this piece to examine the tension between silence and sound. The work functions as a study in control, requiring the performer to navigate subtle shifts in intensity within a constrained sonic environment.
What You Will Find
Scope Limits
Musicians and critics often categorize this work as a quintessential example of Skempton's minimalist approach to piano literature. The piece is frequently cited for its demand on the performer's touch and control rather than technical virtuosity.
Page Count:
8
Publication Date:
2007-09-13
Publisher:
Oxford University Press Music
ISBN-10:
0193359669
ISBN-13:
9780193359666
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