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Constellations I + II (1995) |
solo piano - 3'
Composed in 1995, 'Constellations' emerged from the composer's interest in working with those amateur musicians who are also keen to perform contemporary music. When composing this work for her friend Mike Peake, to whon the work is dedicated, several factors were taken into account. While not being technically too demanding, the work should be satisfying to play, and also be capable of engaging the interest of professional musicians. This is precisely what Thalia Myers and the ABRSM were looking for when compiling the 20 short piano works that were to be used in Spectrum. 'Constellation I' combines hard, glittering brilliance with chords of sustained warmth, while 'Constellation II' is driven by strongly rhythmic declamatory passages, mostly with the two hands in parallel movement.