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Work Overview
My String Quartet no. 3 was inspired by the history and landscape of the central Kimberley region which I visited numerous times in recent years, and also by the story of the resistance hero and warrior, Jandamarra, who in the late C19th fought for his people and warded off a whole army of troopers, ensuring the survival of his people.
The first movement, Tracks and Traces, was inspired by the dramatic manhunt of Jandamarra, where he uses his knowledge of landscape as an advantage to ward off capture. He is, however, injured. Slowly and inevitably he is cornered, captured and killed. The images you see will see are of an old prison in the middle of Windjana Gorge where local indigenous people were rounded up and incarcerated.
The second movement follows as a lament for the fallen hero. It incorporates a Bunuba song called "Dirrari Lament" which describes a mother Black Cockatoo grieving for the loss of her baby. This song is both a metaphor for Jandamarra's mother grieving for her lost son and also an expression of loss for the recently departed. I am grateful to June Oscar and Patsy Bedford who are the custodians of this song who allowed me permission to use it here.
River-run, is an energetic Finale which suggests the dance-like, burbling figures of surging water that is such a feature of the Kimberley landscape. The movement of water, for me, also suggests the flowing of time and with that, the potential for cleansing and healing. The music suggests a more optimistic tone after the violence and tears of the first two movements.
Work Details
Year: 2014
Instrumentation: 2 violins, viola, cello.
Duration: 21 min.
Difficulty: Advanced — Needs professional quartet
Contents note: I. Tracks and traces -- II. Dirrari Lament -- III. River-run.
Commission note: Commissioned by Musica Viva Australia.. Commissioned for Huntington Estate and Friends
First performance: by Goldner String Quartet at Huntington Estate Music Festival: Stanhope (Huntington Estate Winery) on 28 Nov 2014
This score (version 3, completed 2015) is available for perusal. This version is available for study purposes only.
Awards & Prizes
| Year | Award | Placing | Awarded for/to |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Art Music Awards: Performance of the Year | Finalist | Goldner String Quartet |
Analysis
Resonate article: Paul Stanhope at Townsville - a report from AFCM by Malcolm Gillies
Performances of this work
9 Aug 2020: at ASQ Live at UKARIA: Paul Stanhope (live-stream) (Live streaming event (online only)). Featuring Australian String Quartet.
20 Jan 2018: at Goldner String Quartet - 20th Century Australian Composers (Elizabeth Street Offices). Featuring Goldner String Quartet.
6 Aug 2016: at Concert Conversations with Piers Lane 6 (Townsville Civic Theatre). Featuring Goldner String Quartet.
12 May 2015: at Goldner String Quartet (Perth Concert Hall). Featuring Goldner String Quartet.
10 May 2015: at Goldner String Quartet (City Recital Hall). Featuring Goldner String Quartet.
8 May 2015: at Goldner String Quartet (Llewellyn Hall ANU School of Music). Featuring Goldner String Quartet.
5 May 2015: at Goldner String Quartet (Conservatorium Theatre, Brisbane). Featuring Goldner String Quartet.
4 May 2015: at Goldner String Quartet (City Recital Hall). Featuring Goldner String Quartet.
2 May 2015: at Goldner String Quartet (Melbourne Recital Centre, Elisabeth Murdoch Hall). Featuring Goldner String Quartet.
30 Apr 2015: at Goldner String Quartet (Harold Lobb Concert Hall, Newcastle Conservatorium of Music). Featuring Goldner String Quartet.
23 Apr 2015: at Goldner String Quartet (Adelaide Town Hall). Featuring Goldner String Quartet.
21 Apr 2015: at Goldner String Quartet (Melbourne Recital Centre, Elisabeth Murdoch Hall). Featuring Goldner String Quartet.
28 Nov 2014: at Huntington Estate Music Festival: Stanhope (Huntington Estate Winery). Featuring Goldner String Quartet.
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