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"Contrasts"
(Homage to Béla Bartók)
Fantasypiece for Viola Duet
(2023)
Composed in 2023 for a call for scores, and timing in at 8:35, "Contrasts" is one of the most effective, virtuosic chamber music works in my catalog. Written as an Homage to Béla Bartók (1881–1945) Contrasts is a what I refer to as a “fantasypiece;” run-together word intentional. I know that term is not unique to my music, but in my case, my fantasypieces feature very adventurous uses of harmonies and melodies.
I have lately been composing homages to various great composers for different musical ensembles. Béla Bartók came to mind as soon as I heard about the call for scores.
"Contrasts" juxtaposes interval-based music and triad-based music. While no direct quotations of Bartók’s music knowingly appear in this work, the style of his music is strongly inflected while still retaining my own compositional voice.
Eerie interval-based music reminiscent of Bartók’s “Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celesta” and the string quartets is contrasted with more folk-like passages that feature triad-based music. A sincere effort is made to integrate the two types of music to the extent possible for such antipathetical musical languages.
The musical treatment is often more minimalistic than Bartók might have chosen to employ. This is unusual for me, but that minimalism serves to contrast with and provide auditory relief from the mostly dissonant interval-based music.
More than anything, Contrasts is a study in hearing musical ideas presented in as many opposing ways as I could manage. I hope you enjoy it.
Follow the next URL to view a high quality scrolling score music video of "Contrasts" on my YouTube channel.
Follow the next URL to view a watermarked PDF of the score of "Contrasts" on my on my website.
Follow the next URL to listen to a high quality synthesized recording of "Contrasts" on my on my website.
The sheet music for "Contrasts" is available for licensing from me, and for sale from Sheet Music Plus. www.sheetmusicplus.com
Thank you for your time and attention.
Stanley M. Hoffman, PhD
Link to my website: https://www.stanleymhoffman.com
Biography Published in Grove Music Online (The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, Oxford University Press)
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