Composer

:

Alvin Lucier

Genre

:

Chamber

Style

:

Chamber Music

Compose Date

:

1987

Average_duration

:

12:08

"Fideliotrio" is a contemporary composition by American composer Alvin Lucier. It was composed in 1987 and premiered on October 23, 1988, at the Festival Musica Nova in Helsinki, Finland. The piece is written for three musicians playing violins, violas, or cellos, and is approximately 20 minutes in length. The composition consists of three movements, each exploring different aspects of the acoustic properties of the instruments. The first movement, titled "Resonance," focuses on the natural resonances of the instruments. The musicians play long sustained notes, allowing the overtones and harmonics to ring out and interact with each other. The resulting sound is a complex and ever-shifting texture of sound waves. The second movement, "Harmonics," explores the use of harmonics on the instruments. The musicians play high-pitched notes using a technique called "natural harmonics," in which the string is lightly touched at specific points to produce a pure, bell-like tone. The resulting sound is ethereal and otherworldly, with the harmonics blending and overlapping in unexpected ways. The final movement, "Bow," focuses on the sound of the bow on the strings. The musicians use a variety of bowing techniques, from long, smooth strokes to quick, staccato attacks. The resulting sound is percussive and rhythmic, with the bowing creating a complex and intricate pattern of sound. Overall, "Fideliotrio" is a mesmerizing and innovative composition that explores the acoustic properties of the violin, viola, and cello in new and exciting ways. Lucier's use of natural resonances, harmonics, and bowing techniques creates a rich and complex sonic landscape that is both beautiful and challenging.

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