contents

1. listen
2. program notes
3. technical details
4. performances

Listen

program notes

The composition article 4 [map butterfly – la carte géographique – landkaartje] for violin or viola solo (2004) by Rozalie Hirs is inspired by the map butterfly (Araschnia Levana), a kind of butterfly that possesses remarkable drawings on its wings, evoking maps of imaginary continents. article 4 (2004) makes extensive use of the natural harmonics present in the violin (or viola). The score is notated on two staves, indicating sounding and fingered pitch respectively. The sounding and fingered pitches as well as the pitches of the open strings of the violin together form a virtual resonant space. The fingered pitches can be regarded as a metaphor for the shadows cast on the earth by the map butterfly, mysteriously connecting the light, the butterfly’s body, and its movements. The topography of pitch is mapped during the flight of the butterfly, while revealing the physical properties of the string instrument.

article 4 [map butterfly – la carte géographique – landkaartje] (2004) was recorded by violinist Anna McMichael for Rozalie Hirs’ portrait album Platonic ID (Amsterdam: Attacca Productions, 2007)

technical details

commission
article 4 [map butterfly – la carte géographique – landkaartje] for violin or viola solo (2004) was commissioned by Concerten Tot en Met and its artistic director Samuel Vriezen. With financial support of the Netherlands Performing Arts Fund (formerly known as the Fonds voor de Scheppende Toonkunst). It was first performed by Anna McMichael (violin) at Bethaniënklooster, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, on 1 April 2004.

instrumentation
violin solo
or viola solo

duration
10’30 ca.

dedication
dedicated to Anna McMichael (version for violin, 2004)
dedicated to Elisabeth Smalt (version for viola, 2005)

publisher
Rozalie Hirs’s music scores are published by Deuss Music. The score of article 4 [map butterfly – la carte géographique – landkaartje] (2004) can be purchased through this link (click here).

performances

6 July 2023, 19:30 EDT, Gamper Contemporary Music Festival, Studzinski Recital Hall, Brunswick, Maine, United States – Steven Baloue (viola)

22 May 2020, folds, The Wallis (Lovelace Studio Theatre), Los Angeles, United States – Miranda Cuckson (violin) **CANCELED DUE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC**

21 May 2020, folds, The Wallis (Lovelace Studio Theatre), Los Angeles, United States – Miranda Cuckson (violin) **CANCELED DUE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC**

15 May 2020, Queens New Music festival, New York, United States – Miranda Cuckson (violin) **CANCELED DUE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC**

8 April 2020, 19:30, New Music Miami Festival, Miami Beach Urban Studios, 420 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, FL 33139, United States – Miranda Cuckson (violin) **CANCELED DUE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC**

19 January 2020, 19:30, Duncan Recital Hall (Alice Pratt Brown Hall), The Sherperd School of Music, Rice University, Houston, Texas, United States – Miranda Cuckson (violin)

22 November 2019, 19:00 CET, ciclo OUT.SIDE, curated and performed by Barcelona Modern Ensemble, Iglesia Santa Mónica de Barcelona, Spain – Takao Hyakutome (violin) – Spanish premiere

28 June 2017, Avanti! Summer Sounds Festival, Church of Pernaja, Finland – John Storgårds (violin) – Finnish premiere

21 April 2015, Portrait concert: Rozalie Hirs, De Link, Tilburg, The Netherlands – Heleen Hulst (violin)

18 April 2015, Portrait concert: Rozalie Hirs, Jeannik Méquet Littlefield Concert Hall, Mills College, 5000 MacArthur Blvd, Oakland CA 94613, United States – Hrabba Atladottir (violin)

18 March 2012, Stichting Drie plus Twee, Vergiliuslaan 4, Utrecht, The Netherlands – Heleen Hulst (viola)

3 May 2010, Composition/ Department of Music, Media, Arts and Technology (MAT), UC Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, United States – Mark Menzies (violin) – US premiere

26 May 2008, Musica Nova, Felicjia Blumental Music Center, Bialik 26, Tel Aviv, Israel – Carmel Raz (violin) – Israeli premiere

28 November 2005, Dartington College of Arts, England – Elisabeth Smalt (viola)

15 October 2005, UK Microfest 1, Manor Road, Walton-On-Thames, England – Elisabeth Smalt (viola) – UK premiere

1 April 2004, Concert No. 49, Concerten Tot en Met, Bethaniënklooser, Barndesteeg 4b, Amsterdam, The Netherlands – Anna McMichael (violin)