Ragnhild Berstad: Quaero – tilblivelse (coming into existence)

For the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra at Ultima October 2006, using the Quartertone vibraphone as an integrated percussion instrument in the orchestra.

The principal violinist Øyvind Bjorå about the instrument in the orchestra (Norwegian) The principal percussionist Christian Berg about the instrument in the percussion department of the orchestra. (Norwegian)   sample of the score: end section   Sound sample of the end section of the piece.

The starting point….

a long descending melodic line – woodwind in unison.

Everything that comes into being has its point of origin somewhere – develops from

something – needs somewhere to grow.

I tried to create a fertile fundament for the origin of this work.

Finding a place from which a line could develop.

In this way Quaero – tilblivelse grew and took shape in my continuous search for the

point of origin – the great fall – while the point of origination itself moved further and

further back……….

………and in the end; the vibraphone – played by bowing – fragile sustained notes.

Emerging gradually from a noisy swarm – concluding the work – alone

Quaero is Latin and means seeking, looking for

Con Vitri
Respicio
Recludo

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