Xenolith (1994)

for English horn solo                                                   
Duration: 6:00’

first performance:  April, 1996 in  the Ijsbreker in Amsterdam
Marjolein Koning, english horn

Program Notes

XENOLITH  begins in a confined area of the lowest register of the cor anglais, delineated by sparse melodic cells, repeated notes and jagged rhythmic movements.   Twice, in chromatic sequences and inversions of the motivic material, an upward movement culminates in extended high notes, pulling away, as it were, from the low tones. 
[ measures 1-42 and 43-61 ].

The accumlated tension finds its release in the Lamentoso  section, a repeated “gesture of crying out”  tempered by  varied echoes of the first sections. 

The piece finds its solution in a amalgam of pianissimo  repeated notes and chromatic motives culminating in sweeping arpeggios and fading serenely into the highest register of the instrument.

General remarks:

Xenolith is a piece that, among other things, explores the various registers of the cor anglais, in particular, the low register.   The gradations of piano  should be played as softly as possible  without sacrificing tone color. 

Notation: the piece is written in 4/4 for the sake of clarity.  To avoid unintended metricity [metrical squareness], the player should try to phrase over the bar lines.  

The composer suggests that playing without  page turns is preferable in performance.