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  • Per Nørgård

  • Prelude to Breaking (1986)

  • Edition Wilhelm Hansen Copenhagen (World)

The pieces is available in two version: the original (fl., clar., stringquartet, and piano and percussion) and the so-called Harp version (fl., clar., stringquartet, and harp).
A mezzosoprano might (ad lib.) sing a fragment of the composer’s ”Composition” (text by G. Ekelöf) in the coda of ”Prelude to breaking”, as notated in the score.
The instrumental work might be played as a prelude to the choral song "Composition” (text by G. Ekelöf) with the title "Prelude to breaking – and to Composition”. Finally, the instrumental work might also be played as a prelude to the choral work "3 Hymniske Ansatser” (3 Hymnic Dispositions): 1.’Composition’, 2.’Strandvalmue’ (’Beach Poppy’), 3.’Die Parke’ (’The Parks’) – the choral work sung after "Prelude to breaking”.

"Prelude to breaking” was a point of departure for the choral pieces "Regn Nat" ("Rain night”) 1983/1989 and "I hear the rain” (1989/1992).



  • 1.0.1.0/0.0.0.0/perc/pf/str4tet [Ms]
  • 9 min

Programme Note

The title quotes a book on wave forms (Willard Bascom: ´Waves and Beaches´, 1980), characterizing the surf-effect as a multitude of ´sub whirls´ in harmonic speed to each other. When this synchronicity tops over in accelerations of the individual tempos it is called ´Prelude to Breaking´.

The bass-continuous melody is perceived by the composer as a manifestation of the surf-phenomenon at a beach in Cualam, Kerala (India). Each second a new front of impressive length - up to hundreds of meters - breaks almost simultaneously all along, the many together producing a sound as from hundreds of lions, out of which to my ear was heard firstly: a fundamental and all its overtones, secondly: a 14 beat bass-(or rather all registers encompassing) melody. The three other motives have other stories - but all, like the mentioned one - possessing a feature of ´objets trouvées´, of treasures found.

A mezzo soprano might ad lib. sing a fragment of the composer´s “Composition” (text by G. Ekelöf) in the coda of “Prelude to breaking” (notated in the score). The instrumental work might be played as a prelude to the choral song “Composition” (text by G. Ekelöf) with the title “Prelude to breaking – and to Composition”. Finally, the instrumental work might also be played as a prelude to the choral work “3 Hymniske Ansatser” (3 Hymnic Dispositions): 1.´Composition´, 2.´Strandvalmue´(´Beach Poppy´), 3.´Die Parke´(´The Parks´) – the choral work sung after “Prelude to breaking”.
Per Nørgård

Note: The last section (about the Mezzo soprano and the combination of pieces) might be used or not used, ad libitum.

Scores

Score preview

Discography

Thommessen, Nørgård, Eliasson etc.

Thommessen, Nørgård, Eliasson etc.
  • Label
    Acoustica
  • Catalogue Number
    1010
  • Ensemble
    Sonanza, Risberg

Works for Sinfonietta

Works for Sinfonietta
  • Label
    Kontrapunkt
  • Catalogue Number
    32140
  • Conductor
    Søren K. Hansen
  • Ensemble
    Aarhus Sinfonietta