Description
This work was commissioned by Stacey Eliason and funded in part by the Meir Rimon Commissioning Assistance Program of the International Horn Society. This fund supports new works for the horn in honor of Meir Rimon (1946-1991), former Vice-President of the International Horn Society and Principal Horn of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. The program sponsors approachable pieces which can be enjoyed by a range of players. Stacey’s love of museums served as inspiration, and sound elements of her visits to favorite locations are incorporated into the accompaniment. The premiere will be given on August 18th at the International Women’s Brass Conference, held in Mito City, Japan, on August 18, 2024.
The work is presented as a graphic score, with optional electronic accompaniment. Graphic scores are sets of musical instructions which are not presented in traditional musical notation format, but rather involve pictorial and artistic elements, and often leave much to the improvisation and imagination of the player. In the twentieth century, graphic scores became a way to share the compositional process more equally between the composer and the performer, and involve concepts of improvisation and chance elements in the musical presentation. The performance of Musicians of the National Gallery involves the player making choices between elements of melodic material paired with four paintings. The performer can visit the paintings in any order, and choose from the musical elements found at each place along their journey through the exhibition. The beautiful graphic score artwork was created by Qiudi Zhang, who has also designed Nanon and ElevenTwelv
The gallery presented on the score includes a portrait of famed Italian musician Lucia Bonasoni Garzoni, painted by Lavinia Fontana in 1590, paying homage to the contributions of women as artists, performers, and composers across history. Two 19th century works, Standing Musician, credited to painters in the circle of Mariano Fortuny Marsal in 1870, and The Banjo Lesson, painted by Mary Cassatt in 1893, represent activity in both the home and public spheres. The Musician, painted by Louis Casimir Ladislas Marcoussis in 1914, illustrates new styles and directions. These works celebrate past creativity in a global context, providing a backdrop for fresh new musical inspiration.
Length: 8 minutes (length is flexible, shorter performances are welcomed).
Difficulty Level: III/IV (includes optional improvisation, moderate register, flexible length and tempo, suitable for advanced high school and beyond).
