Australian Music Centre | Breaking sound barriers

Work Overview

'Three Ponds Mirroring the Moon' was especially composed for Robert Schubert (clarinet) and Jacinta Dennett (harp) as part of the Bayside City Council '2015 Resonance Music Series' and Melbourne Composers' League presents 'A Concert of New Chamber Music from Australia and China for Clarinet and Harp,' and represents a Hommage à Włodzimierz Kotonski (1925-2014). The work serves as an exploration of the Octatonic Major (Whole-Step, Half-Step Diminished, or C, D, Eb, F, Gb, Ab, A natural and B) and Octatonic Minor (Half-Step, Whole-Step Diminished, or C, Db, Eb, E natural, F#, G, A and Bb) scales in conjunction with the common associated extended chord: C Major 13 (b5, #5), or C3, F3, Gb3, B3, Eb4, G#4, A4 and D5. Also incorporated within the compositional framework are the post-tonal harmonic possibilities within the twelve-note chromatic scale as presented by Elliott Carter in his monumental publication of the Harmony Book, with the abovementioned pitch material represented by Carter's 8-Note Chord 5 (D, Eb, F, F#, G#, A, B and C, or 0, 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10).

Philosophically, the title of the work is in direct reference to Hangzhou (the capital and largest city of Zhejiang Province in Eastern China) and its ponds at the West Lake island of Xiao Ying Zhou established in the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) - with particular focus on the three small stony pagodas, called 'Three Ponds (or Pools) Mirroring the Moon' or San tan yin yue. According to TravelChinaGuide.com: "Hangzhou is the capital of Zhejiang province and its political, economic and cultural center. With enchanting natural beauty and abundant cultural heritages, the city is known as 'Heaven on Earth' and one of China's most important tourist destinations." 'Three Ponds Mirroring the Moon' additionally serves as a dedication to Nalin Shen and the composers of Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China.

Work Details

Year: 2015

Instrumentation: Clarinet, harp.

Duration: 7 min.

Difficulty: Advanced — Professional

Dedication note: Hommage à Włodzimierz Kotonski (1925-2014)

Written for: Jacinta Dennett, Robert Schubert

First performance: by Robert Schubert, Jacinta Dennett at The Melbourne Composers League presents ‘Three Ponds Mirroring the Moon: A Concert of New Chamber Music from Australia and China for Clarinet and Harp' (Trinity Uniting Church, Brighton) on 30 Aug 2015

The composer notes the following styles, genres, influences, etc associated with this work:
Włodzimierz Kotonski (1925-2014) ; Hangzhou (Zhejiang Province, China) ; Octatonic Major and Minor Scales , C Major 13 (b5, #5) ; Elliott Carter’s Harmony Book