Architectures Various Artists

Sun Mi Ro, Three Invocations (2015) Three Invocations for solo flute, composed in memory of composer’s grandmother, navigates various technical aspects of the instrument while exploring distinct aesthetic characteristics. The first movement is a fantasia with an improvisatory-like character. Movement two is a duet for one; while movement three re-imagines a traditional Korean lullaby by taking its characteristic intervals and recasting them in a frenetic display of virtuosity. “As I composed the work, I imagined singing a song with her, and this served as a source of inspiration for the piece” (S.M RO). “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Psalm 23:6

AARON PARKER - Eppitru (2013 rev. 2016) The three movements which make up the piece for solo violin were in each case written at times where the composer was working on larger-scale projects preoccupied with rigorous systematic compositional control and chance-driven procedures. 'Eppitru' sprang from the composer’s desire to flex different compositional muscles, to write untethered from underlying formal anchors and to be lead primarily by instinct. The resulting suite of restless miniatures combines direct and uncomplicated musical ideas with an exploration of a timbral palette drawing upon various aspects of the violin’s multifaceted character.

RYAN LATIMER - Chloe (2013) The title fo this piece for solo violin, Chloe, referrers firstly to Calvino’s novel, Invisible Cities. The story centres upon explorer, Marco Polo, and emperor, Kublai Kahn. Kahn employs Polo to describe to him in detail all the cities he has passed through on his travels; one of which is the city of Chloe. The book, in turn, strikes a curious balance between continuous (re)invention and meditation; and it is this particular quality the composer hoped to find in his own work. The piece also borrowed from the Greek meaning of the name Chloe -“a young green shoot” - an image which is captured musically towards the end of the piece.

TONY MANFREDONIA - Unconventional Tuning (2016) The oboe is characteristic of tuning an orchestra on A440, which is where Unconventional Tuning begins. At the same time, C is often the starting tonal centre for beginner musicians. While A440 tunes an ensemble, C is equally as vital to “tuning into” musicianship. Therefore, this piece’s twelve-tone row opens on A, then plays in retrograde beginning on C.

PAUL KOPETZ - 7th Chakra Sahasrara Chakra is a Sanskrit word for a wheel or energy centre. According to most healing systems originating in traditional Indian medicine, there are seven main chakras located along the spine. In the world of emotions and of the mind, these chakras take on new levels of meaning. In the suite ‘Chakras’, the composer’s personal exploration of the seven energy centres is presented by seven solo woodwind instruments of ascending tessitura. Sahasrara for solo flute, presented on this recording, is the thematic climax and point of rest/equilibrium of the suite.

PER CHRISTIAN ARNESEN - Mindoro Oriente (2008 rev. 2016) Mindoro Oriente for solo harpsichord was written in 2008. The title refers to the east side of the beautiful island Mindoro in the Philippines, and the music reflects the shifting in weather and mind, especially during the rainy season. The piece was first written for solo piano but has been adapted for harpsichord in 2016 specifically for RMN Music’s project Contemporary Modern Music for Solo instrument.

SUNG-HYUN YUN - Flute Fantasy Flute Fantasy is a piece in which the relationship between sound and silence is, in a way, curiously examined - that being the case, the term "fantasy" in the context of this piece denotes less of the spectacular, and more of the intriguing image of the note itself in a vastly empty, silent space. The piece merely sheds its spotlight on a note and allows it to wander, so to speak, en route to the end of the piece. This piece is unusually more so an interactive experience, in which the apparent lack of structure frees the audience to more proactively take away their own emotional reflections. 

SOPHIE POPE - II a Crow (2012) II a crow for solo violin is composer’s second piece based on crow sounds, the first being for flute and tape. In this work the composer has used the softer more whistle-like sounds that form fast sequences, virtuosic and oratorical, analysing the sounds spectrally and reconstructing them for the violin. Crows have a large vocabulary and the composer here tries to emulate this rich sound world using rhythm, bowing techniques, finger pressure, bow positions, range and speed in order to portray the liveliness, hidden beauty and multifaceted nature of the crows.

JOSHUA MARQUEZ - Slough (2015) Through the process of degradation, Slough, for solo violin, transforms into different states through changes in texture, articulation, character, etc... Transient emphasis and greater use of noise elements disintegrate the material, over time, in tandem with further destruction of the spectra.  Timbre is the primary developmental element in Slough. The extreme contrasts, throughout, are representational of the chunky shedding that is associated with the word "slough".

TOBIAS FANDEL - Show me what you are not! This piece for solo oboe, developed in collaboration with the two oboists Ayaka Nakao and Hideki Machida, is the instrumental solo from the homonymous video ballet. It seeks to reflect the quest for the own identity by transforming the original or expected oboe sound towards unknown appearances to approach the iconic sound of the trumpet. The composer aimed to develop and extend the way how this instrument can be used to produce sounds in order to challenge the traditional identity of the oboe in relation to the experiences and expectations of the performer and the listeners.

GREG A STEINKE - Inquietude (1995) Inquietude for solo flute is a short etude-like piece written in memory of the famous flautist William Kincaid. It is meant to capture the flavour of some of Kincaid’s practice exercises heard in practice rooms. It also contains essences of famous flute passages (e.g. Midsummer Night’s Dream, Daphnis and Chloé, etc.) the composer heard performed by Mr Kincaid.

PAOLO GEMINIANI - [Prae]ludere (2013) In this piece for solo harpsichord, the composer explores the dimension of the prelude as re-imagined for the 21th-century player. Like an improvised open-form the score never gives details or instructions about rhythm, tempo and metronome and the decision is left to the interpretation skills of the performer.