The single movement work Out of the Blue...draws on the unity of a tightly knit small ensemble: a standard string orchestra featuring, from time to time a solo violin and solo viola. It gains its energy from displaced accents and a distinctive piling up of parallel or near parallel melodic parts to create a sense of propulsion. The central section, by contrast, is fragmented and sparsely textured, lapsing into introspection and reflection – as if the players are pondering over the musical material. Motives are slowed down, spread out, and shared between parts. Dreamy tremolos and floating chords pave the way for a return to the opening ideas by way of a limping waltz. The concluding section once more features the riffs (melodic fragments) and rhythmic patterns derived from blues music.
Nigel Westlake
Nigel Westlake's studied the clarinet with his father, Donald Westlake and subsequently
left school early to pursue a performance career in music. Nigel toured Australia
and the world playing with ballet companies, a circus troupe, chamber music groups,
fusion bands and orchestras. His interest in composition dates from the late 1970's
when he formed a classical/jazz-
For more information please visit: www.rimshot.com.au
Out of the Blue... Nigel Westlake
© Wild Country Australia 2011. All rights reserved.