Spiral X (for amplified piano trio) (2007)
(in memoriam)

Composer note
“In Memoriam” — a new version of Spiral X for piano trio — was commissioned by the Connections Chamber Music Series of the California Quartet and the NZTrio, with support from Susan Bienkowski and Wang Chung Lee. The version for piano trio was initially made possible when composer Jack Brody called and introduced his ambitious project, O – Cambodia. I immediately told him that I finally had a chance to make a musical response — to the cataclysmic era in Khmer history — a few years ago with my Second String Quartet, and I'd be delighted to create a similar version for his proposed instrumentation — a piano trio. Actually, I meant to compose this kind of musical response in the mid 80's when I was asked to compose a piece for the Philadelphia Orchestra, entitled Inner-Voices. As it turned out, I now had my second chance to pay my deepest tribute to both the innocent victims and their living relatives/friends, during and after the Khmer holocaust, who are now referred to as “in memoriam.”

For over a decade now, I have incorporated the use of “vocalization” for instrumentalists into the overall musical texture, such as some singing, chanting, whistling, and speaking, among others. A great portion of the “text” has no real meaning. But, sometimes, there are words that are clearly Khmer/Pali that carry specific meaning, but are more like “flash cards.” In Memoriam begins with an evocation in the first section. The middle section is turbulent and musically represents the sufferings. The last section is a display of a shamanistic attempt to dispel the suffering.

— Chinary Ung