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L’Éternité du Nil

Commissioned by Egyptian Contemporary Music Ensemble ECME

Subtitle: N/A

Year: 2016

Duration: 8’

Instrumentation: Bas. Clarinet, 2 Percussionists & String Quartet

World Premiere:

Event: Saturday Night Live – Gaudeamus Muziekweek 2016

Date: September 10th, 2016

Place: TivoliVredenburg in Utrecht

Ensemble: Egyptian Contemporary Music Ensemble ECME

Program note:

L’Éternité du Nil is about the concept of eternity/immortality in Ancient Egypt. This is interpreted in both on the internal as well as the external side of music, so as to be able to externalize what is on the inside.

Using a harmonic system comes from spectral analysis of a few notes played by the Nay “Egyptian Flute”. In a picturesque view, a farmer creates his Nay using materials from nature, he sits beside the Nile, improvises some music; A scene which had been always related to this instrument and its relation with the Nile.

The process of emptying the internal part happens not only during the performance of the piece, but it also starts as early as the composition process and during the interpretation part. Emptying materials, ideas, concepts, and soul, putting out one part at each step until it reaches its last step at the performance.

 

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