Horizon

Program Note:

The music of Horizon can be understood as a score consisting of four parts. It can be best performed by e.g. four pianists. The fact that until now groups of four or five pianists have performed not only Canto Ostinato and Lemniscaat, but also Horizon, emphasizes this idea, to which nobody would object.
Nevertheless we would like to point out that Horizon also enables the musicians to have a choice of their own as to structure and character, among which e.g. the number of musicians and the type of keyboard instruments. Instead of ‘parts’ we prefer using the concept of ‘layers’ or ’textures’. Each layer has a consistent and self-willed, ambiguous or multi-interpretable structure which does not show any preference as to whatever interpretation.

There is a kind of diversity which can be expressed by sharing the same layer by several musicians. This is also the case when the composition is performed by four pianists and when the suggested division of roles is maintained. In that case a considerable degree of variation, independent of the several ‘layers’, remains.
Horizon can also be called ‘work in progress’. It is an open scenario in which tasks can be shared among the musicians and changed as they like (stage direction?) Decisions must be made as to the following:

a)  The number of repeats.
b)  The combination of layers, the gradual creation of the elements or otherwise (culmination).
c)  Interruption or restarting of participation or not.
d)  Giving a backdrop to function and, be it within the given style, going beside the mark.
e)  Dynamic directions in the scores will only be found once or twice. A form of so-called register dynamics is advised where no further directions appear.

The performance should not be too loud. When musicians cannot hear one another anymore, something is bound to go wrong, either in a social or in a musical sense. Horizon is performed in an area between music that has been put into scores and music that is improvised. In this case we have a score and prescribed notes, but this does not mean that the musicians can only be active when notes are provided or are silent when nothing appears on the scores.

It might happen that musicians will be silent when the notes are there and will play when there are no notes at all.

Simeon ten Holt

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NB. Public performances of Horizon need permission from Donemus Publishing. Get in touch through webshop@donemus.nl