CHAMBER MUSIC quintet
1 flute, 1 clarinet, 1 violin, 1 cello, 1 piano

Duration: ca. 20 minutes
Composed: 2015

Programme Note:

“Nature uses only the longest threads to weave her patterns, so that each small piece of her fabric reveals the organization of the entire tapestry.” – Richard Feynman

Written in 2015, this quintet for flute, clarinet, violin, cello, and piano, has a connection to weaving and tapestry; the idea that small elements (threads) come together to create a larger “picture”; that the back of a tapestry is chaotic with knots and tangles, but the front is a beautifully organized scene.  I thought of these threads as creative DNA that could be art or memory.

The creative process is like the back of a tapestry.  It is completely chaotic, often frantic, usually a little disorganized, as ideas flow and develop.  The end result, however, belies chaos.  Through the 18-minutes, you will hear the instruments weave together creating different images with different levels of chaos.  The title comes from an extraordinary poem by Welsh poet, Dannie Abse, called The Water Diviner.  It uses the flow of water as a metaphor for ideas (and talent).

The piece was commissioned for the Gryphon Trio through the generous support of Marie-Laure Collet.

Premiere: First performance in Ottawa, July 26, 2015.