Contents
1. Program notes, review
2. Listen
3. Technical details
4. Past performances
Program notes
Sacro Monte was commissioned by La Nuova Arca, Turin, for the concert series ‘Il Suono dei Parchi’ by the ensemble Antidogma, touring seven natural reserves in Piemonte, northern Italy, in the fall of 1997. Seven composers, hailing from England, Italy, France and the Netherlands, each wrote one piece as a musical reaction to their stay earlier that year in one of these reserves. The reserve that Rozalie Hirs visited was the Sacro Monte di Varallo Sesia, a pilgrimage site on top of a mountain, which includes a path with countless little shrines, inhabited by life-size terracotta statues.
The composition Sacro Monte is a slow and contemplative work, meant to be performed in the basilica on top of the mountain. The ensemble plays long sustained, delicate chords, interspersed with pizzicati in the strings. Piano, glockenspiel and vibraphone occupy a central position with a continuously varying motive that is characterized by large intervallic leaps. Halfway through the piece, the violin takes the initiative with a solo, which is constructed from fast, high figures, as if you are staring at a static mountainous landscape, when suddenly a solitary cyclist passes by.
Listen
Coming soon
Technical details
instrumentation
flute
clarinet
French horn
percussion
piano
violin 1
violin 2
viola
cello
double bass
dedication
The composition Sacro Monte (1997) is dedicated to Yannis Kyriakides.
duration
10′ ca.
Past performances
5 October 2019, 16:00, KoncertKirken, Blågårds Plads, 2200 København, Denmark – Athelas Sinfonietta Copenhagen, Jean Thorel (conductor) – Danish première
10 November 2011, 12:30, Muziekcentrum Frits Philips, Jan van Lieshoutstraat 3, Eindhoven, The Netherlands – F.C. Jongbloed, Arnold Marinissen (conductor)
9 November 2011, 12:30, November Music, MC De Toonzaal, Den Bosch, The Netherlands – F.C. Jongbloed, Arnold Marinissen (conductor)
3 November 2011, 12:30, Conservatoriumzaal, Fontys Conservatorium, Zwijsenplein 1, Tilburg, The Netherlands – F.C. Jongbloed, Arnold Marinissen (conductor)
15 September 2007, 20:00, Dreikönigskirche, Hauptstraße 23, Dresden, Germany – Ensemble Courage, Titus Engel (conductor)
10 April, 2007, 19:00, Konsertti Aboa Nova III, Sigyn-sali, Turku Music Academy, Finland – Musiikkiakatemia NYTT! Ensemble, Erkki Lahesmaa (conductor) – Finnish première
26 January 2003, 20:30, Holland Amerika Lijn, De Witte Dame, Eindhoven, The Netherlands – Ives Ensemble
23 January 2003, 20:30, Holland Amerika Lijn, De Rode Hoed, Amsterdam, The Netherlands – Ives Ensemble
19 January 2003, 15:00, Holland Amerika Lijn, Theater Romein, Leeuwarden, The Netherlands – Ives Ensemble
17 January 2003, 20:30, Holland Amerika Lijn, Lantaren/Venster, Rotterdam. The Netherlands – Ives Ensemble
20 February 2000, 20:00, Columbia Composers‘ Concert, Miller Theater, New York, United States – Columbia Composers Ensemble, J.D. Hixson (conductor) – North American première
3 November 1999, (CD recording) Stadsgehoorzaal, Leiden, The Netherlands – Ives Ensemble
24 April 1999, 20:00, Concert IX, Concerten Tot En Met, Posthoornkerk, Amsterdam, The Netherlands – Ensemble Insomnio – Netherlands première
5 October 1997, 21:00, Il Suono dei Parchi, Parco Valgrande, Verbano Cusio Ossola, Italy – Antidogma Musica, Raffaele Mascolo (conductor)
4 October 1997, 21:00, Il Suono dei Parchi, Parco Fluviale del Po e dell’Orba, Alessandria, Italy – Antidogma Musica, Raffaele Mascolo (conductor)
3 October 1997, 21:00, Il Suono dei Parchi, Basilica Sacro Monte, Parco Sacro Monte di Varallo Sesia, Vercelli, Italy – Antidogma Musica, Raffaele Mascolo (conductor)
2 October 1997, 21:00, Il Suono dei Parchi, Parco La Mandria, Torino, Italy – Antidogma Musica, Raffaele Mascolo (conductor)
30 September 1997, 21:00, Il Suono dei Parchi, Parco Sacro Monte di Orta, Novara, Italy – Antidogma Musica, Raffaele Mascolo (conductor)
29 September 1997, 21:00, Il Suono dei Parchi, Parco Burcina, Bessi, Biella, Italy – Antidogma Musica, Raffaele Mascolo (conductor)
28 September 1997, 21:00, Il Suono dei Parchi, Auditorium del Centro Giovani, Via Goltieri 3, Asti, Italy – Antidogma Musica, Raffaele Mascolo (conductor) – world première