About the piece
Ten Variations confronts enigmatic and abstract sections with moments of clarity and directionality. It is based on a short, simple melodic theme that is travelling through a musical journey and gradually revealed throughout the piece. Mysterious, rocky, festive, cool, or glum – a different mood and character is used in each variation in order to expose a new facet of the theme. While some of the variations live comfortably in the world of 20th century’s concert music (Ravel and Shostakovich being highly influential), others use rhythms and sounds derived from popular and world music (here bands like Alice in Chains, Pink Floyd and the Israeli Arabic-Jewish ensemble Bustan Abraham come to mind). Likewise, different moments in the piece may be soothing, captivating or startling for the listener. Ten Variations ends with a celebration of folk tunes, classical music polyphony, rock harmonies, and funk-dance grooves, while the theme is presented for the first time in its complete, triumphant form, thus offering a sense of catharsis. The piece won the Franz Josef Reinl International Composition Contest (Austria) as well as the 3rd prize in the Zvi Zeitlin Memorial International Composer’s Competition.
Select performances:
• The University of Chicago (USA): The Chicago Ensemble
• Princeton University (USA): Nash Ensemble of London
• Gershwin Hotel (NYC): Ensemble 20-21
• Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien (Austria): Franz Josef Reinl Contest Ensemble
• Christ Church Cathedral Auditorium (Hartford, CT, USA): Cuatro Puntos
• Southern Methodist University (Dallas, TX, USA): SYZYGY Ensemble
Purchase version with oboe:
Ten Variations
For oboe, 2 violins, viola, cello, piano (2011)
(alternate version: clarinet in Bb, 2 violins, viola, cello, piano)
Length: 14 minutes
Written for Nash Ensemble of London
This performance:
Nash Ensemble of London
Cuatro Puntos’ album featuring Ten Variations
