Wind Dances

Hommage à Federico Mompou

op. 72, 2017

I. Winter
II. Spring
III. Summer
IV. Autumn

For piano solo
Duration: 6 min.

Commissioned by Maria Canyigueral for her project “Avant-guarding Mompou” with the support of Arts Council in England.

World premiere: 10 June 2018, Conway Hall, London. Piano: Maria Canyigueral
Preview concert: 20 January 2018, Barcelona

 

Composer’s notes

Wind Dances was inspired by Federico Mompous Tanz Nr. 14 and leads back to a request by pianist Maria Canyigueral for her project “Avant-guarding Mompou”.

Again, it was great to get inspired by an existing composition, because the world of the other composer can also open one’s own world. And even if the homage doesn’t directly mirror the music of the other composer, it contains its energy.

Wind Dances consists of four miniatures, dedicated to the seasons. Certain sound motions represent the four winds of a year musically. The Winter was composed for the higher piano registers and although written in bars, rubato and singing character clear and transparent like a crystal define the piece. The Spring brings a stronger “wind” movement into the left hand and lower registers. The melody gains tension with the accelerando and disappears like the dust of spring. The Summer is like an acoustic, minimalistic wave being blocked by the heat energy. The last piece, Autumn, creates an atmosphere of falling leaves that are animated to light and slow dances by the wind. A repeated action of the right hand is accompanied by a narrative autumn melody until all of it wiped out in the lontano. All four miniatures are connected to certain compositional elements and should be performed together, just like a piece with four movements.

© Norbert Banik

 

Pressestimmen

“Die vier Jahreszeiten stehen im Zentrum von Konstantia Gourzis Klavierstücken ‘Wind Dances’ von 2017: Moritz Eggert traf mit zartem Anschlag den poetischen Ton der vier ruhigen Miniaturen.”

nmz online, 30. Oktober 2018

“I va arribar el moment feliç, solar, extàtic, en què Maria Canyigueral va tocar juntes la ‘Cançó i dansa núm. 14’ i aquesta meravella per al cor i la ment titulada ‘Wind dances’, de la compositora grega Konstantia Gourzi. Poques vegades ens ha semblat, en un concert, que el temps desaparegués, que els morts i els vius es trobessin a la mateixa dimensió (…). Konstantia Gourzi, en la seva condició d’artista total que es troba gairebé fora de tota contingència temporal o d’estil, arriba, amb la seva peça, al cor de Mompou.”

nuvol.com, 26. Januar 2018

 

Audio Sample

 

 

Score