Composer

:

Giacinto Scelsi

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Vocal Music

Compose Date

:

1968

Average_duration

:

11:58

Giacinto Scelsi's "TKRDG" is a composition for solo cello that was composed in 1966. The piece premiered in Paris in 1967, performed by the cellist Siegfried Palm. "TKRDG" is a single-movement work that lasts approximately 15 minutes. The piece is characterized by Scelsi's use of microtonality and extended techniques on the cello. The performer is required to play quarter-tones and other microtonal intervals, as well as to use various bowing techniques such as sul ponticello (playing near the bridge) and sul tasto (playing over the fingerboard). The result is a haunting, otherworldly sound that is both beautiful and unsettling. The piece is divided into several sections, each with its own distinct character. The opening section is slow and meditative, with the cello playing long, sustained notes that gradually build in intensity. This leads into a faster, more rhythmic section that features pizzicato (plucked) notes and a driving, syncopated rhythm. The middle section of the piece is more introspective, with the cello playing soft, delicate phrases that gradually become more complex and dissonant. The final section of the piece is the most intense, with the cello playing fast, virtuosic passages that push the limits of the instrument. Overall, "TKRDG" is a challenging and rewarding piece for both performer and listener. Scelsi's use of microtonality and extended techniques creates a unique sound world that is both beautiful and unsettling, and the piece's structure and pacing keep the listener engaged from beginning to end.

More....