Waves 11-13
Written in 2008, Waves 11-13 is the first piece I wrote to include a composed, obbligato part for sine waves as well as being the first to be ascribe uniform time-lengths to each separate section. Scored for ‘Treble instruments’, Ebow Piano, percussion and bass-guitar, the piece limits itself to a narrow range of operation and an accordingly ‘clean’ interaction between the instruments. Each section explores one interval in one register, which is then microtonally scanned by the treble instruments. The form of each section is symmetrical, initially shrinking the size of each interval to half of its original size and then expanding outward again. As the piece progresses, the basic interval expands and the entries of the instruments increase accordingly.
Ebow piano, percussion and bass guitar have freer roles, either generating sympathetic vibration or ‘ghost harmonies’ (slightly unpredictable overtones based on Ebow combinations), or through providing clear attacks or incidental ‘subsonic’ entries from the bass guitar; opening up a void and creating what I like to call sudden ‘sound chasms’. (Peter Adriaansz)
- 15 Mar 2008
Featured in
Performances
- 23 Apr 2018, De Link, Tilburg
- 12 May, 2011, Pastoe Fabriek, Utrecht
Peter Adriaansz
Peter Adriaansz was born in Seattle in 1966 and studied composition at the conservatories of The Hague and Rotterdam, where his teachers included Louis Andriessen, Brian Ferneyhough and Peter-Jan Wagemans.
Characterized frequently as “one of the most singular composers active in the Netherlands at the moment”, Adriaansz has worked as a free-lance composer since 1993, receiving commissions and performances from ensembles, festivals and individual musicians from all over the world, as well as writing for ensembles with more unusual instrumentations for special occasions. His works are performed and broadcast regularly worldwide and have featured on many stages, from the Holland Festival to Huddersfield and from Tashkent to Toronto.
Peter Adriaansz, photo © Gerrit Schreurs