Composer

:

Eric Nathan

Genre

:

Chamber

Average_duration

:

6:06

Ommagio a Gesualdo is a contemporary classical composition by American composer Eric Nathan. The piece was composed in 2013 and premiered on March 7, 2014, by the New York Philharmonic at the Avery Fisher Hall in New York City. The composition is a tribute to the Italian composer Carlo Gesualdo, who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. The piece is divided into three movements, each of which explores different aspects of Gesualdo's music. The first movement, titled "Fantasia," is a free-form exploration of Gesualdo's harmonic language. Nathan uses Gesualdo's characteristic chromaticism and dissonance to create a dense and complex texture that gradually builds in intensity. The second movement, titled "Ricercare," is a more structured piece that takes its inspiration from the ricercare, a type of instrumental composition popular in the Renaissance. Nathan uses the ricercare form to create a series of variations on a theme derived from Gesualdo's music. The variations explore different aspects of Gesualdo's style, from his use of chromaticism to his unconventional harmonic progressions. The final movement, titled "Canzona," is a lively and energetic piece that takes its inspiration from the canzona, a type of vocal composition popular in the Renaissance. Nathan uses the canzona form to create a lively and rhythmic piece that showcases the virtuosity of the orchestra. Overall, Ommagio a Gesualdo is a complex and challenging piece that pays tribute to one of the most innovative and unconventional composers of the Renaissance. Nathan's use of Gesualdo's harmonic language and formal structures creates a fascinating dialogue between the past and the present, and showcases the enduring power of Gesualdo's music.

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