Located in the UK
Located in the USA
Located in Europe
- Per Nørgård
Three Beings (1979)
- Edition Wilhelm Hansen Copenhagen (World)
Programme Note
The three individual pieces for keyboard are dedicated to three persons, three friends. The rhythmic patterns are all derived from the combination of melodic patterns based on my so-called infinity series, in three different simultaneous meters. This feature adds a continuous ambiguity to at the seemingly simple “Karakter-stücke”. This puts forward strong demands to the performer: first of all is needed a high level of stability of pulse, which may be compared to baroque- or jazz/rock music playing; agogic freedom must be applied with the uttermost discipline whenever asked for. The ambiguity of two ´almost identical´ representations of a melodic phrase (for instance in the beginning of “Pony”) should be realized with just subtle changings of phrasing (“legato”, “changes of duration” etc.)
The first piece (”´Being beauteous´ (Rimbaud) - for Marie Lalander”) should be played ´Grazioso e vigoroso´ and last about 3 minutes.
The second piece (Being a Pony Ram – for Helle Rahbæk”) might go on mighty long time (like a pony on a grass field), and may – in the reprise - change into the 3rd piece whenever one of the (10) “Cross”-signs in the score is met. And further more: the performer jumps to any place in the 3rd pieces where a similar sign is placed, and go on from there.
In the end of the 3rd piece (“Being Unpredictable – for instance a Panther – for Erik Højsgaard”) the unpredictability may express itself by jumping back to the two foregoing pieces (!), whenever another ´small sign´ in the score is met (“Beauteous I”, Beauteous II” or “Pony I”, “Pony II” etc., related to specific passages in the first and second piece). In addition to this several repetitions of motifs towards the end may be “shedding” off more and more start tones. This improvised coda is supplied by a last guidance: “End unpredictable!”
Per Nørgård (1979)
The first piece (”´Being beauteous´ (Rimbaud) - for Marie Lalander”) should be played ´Grazioso e vigoroso´ and last about 3 minutes.
The second piece (Being a Pony Ram – for Helle Rahbæk”) might go on mighty long time (like a pony on a grass field), and may – in the reprise - change into the 3rd piece whenever one of the (10) “Cross”-signs in the score is met. And further more: the performer jumps to any place in the 3rd pieces where a similar sign is placed, and go on from there.
In the end of the 3rd piece (“Being Unpredictable – for instance a Panther – for Erik Højsgaard”) the unpredictability may express itself by jumping back to the two foregoing pieces (!), whenever another ´small sign´ in the score is met (“Beauteous I”, Beauteous II” or “Pony I”, “Pony II” etc., related to specific passages in the first and second piece). In addition to this several repetitions of motifs towards the end may be “shedding” off more and more start tones. This improvised coda is supplied by a last guidance: “End unpredictable!”
Per Nørgård (1979)