#25– January 13, 2020
Memorial
I. Maestoso II. Vivace
KAROL BEFFA
Memorial by French composer and pianist Karol Beffa is our Composition of the Week. It was commissioned by the Federation of Towns of La Vallée de l’Hérault (FRA), and premiered on November 9, 10 and 11 of 2018 during the ceremonies commemorating the end of World War I.
“Since the other work completing the program of the ceremonial concert was Berlioz’s Symphonie funèbre et triomphale, with its strong war connotation, it seemed appropriate to me, to put forth the peaceful non-violence dimension of this commemoration. This explains the pensive moods of the first movement, with its succession of chorales, sometimes ghostly, sometimes majestic. On the contrary, the second movement is perpetual in motion, with a very strong, pulsating energy, which I hope conveys the message that after war, life goes on”. Composer’s program notes.
Memorial is written for Wind Ensemble and piano. It has a duration of 11 minutes.
Karol Beffa (Paris, 1973) studied music at the Paris Conservatory, but also History, English, Philosophy and Mathematic, holding degrees from the Ecole Normale Supérieure as well as from Cambridge University.
He teaches and lectures at the Sorbone University, Ecole Normale Supérieure and College of France.
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