INK GAMES
presented in April 2016 by
Friday 8th, Polish Consulate
Friday 15th, Utzon Room, Sydney Opera House
Ink Games – Blank Music (2016), Andrew Kennedy (Australia)
Ecosaisse (2007), Kristofer Spike (Australia)
Ink Games – Interpretation (2016)
Edward Harvey Portrait (1993), Alan Holley (Australia)
Double Concerto for Viola and Clarinet (1911), Max Bruch (Germany)
INTERVAL (15 mins)
Frenzy and Folly, Fire and Joy (2004), Graeme Hair (Australia)
Ink Games – Busking (2016)
Sonata for Flute and Piano (1953), Tadeusz Szeligowski (Poland)
Ink Games – Octopus (2016)
Ink Games – Last Goodbye (2016)
Michelle Urquhart viola/violin
Gregory Kinda
piano
Andrew Kennedy
Ewa Kowalski
flute
clarinet/artistic director
Intonight’sperformance,youwillbeawareofthedifferentrelationshipsbetween
performerandcomposer,dividedorbroughttogetherbycertainintervalsofspace,
culture,time.Youareinvitedtodecideforyourselfhowthatchangestheexperience.
ThenextHourglassEnsembleappearanceinSydneywillbeacollaborationwiththe
BaregaSaxophoneQuartet–SUNDAY31JULY,2.30PM,UtzonRoom,SydneyOperahouse.
InkGames–flute,clarinet,viola,piano
(worldpremiere)
1.BlankMusic 2.Interpretation
3.Busking
4.Octopus
5.TheLastGoodbye
The piece can be played by any number of performers but ideally four to six musicians with different
instruments and no more than one vocalist. The movements are intended to appear interspersed through a
concertprogram,andtobealteredandinterpretedinanymannerbytheperformers.
Theuseofinkinartandcommunicationisubiquitousthroughcultures,countriesandages.AndrewKennedy
(born1978,Brisbane)wasponderingwhetherfollowingamusicalmanuscriptfromupto500yearsagowas
somehowstale,noteverabletotrulyrepresentthecomposer’svision.TheconceptofInkGamesis,therefore,
toshowanimmediateinteractionwithperformersandcomposer,indeed,formusictobeplayedthemomentit
iswrittendown.It’salsotodrawadistinctionbetweenrecordedmusicandlivemusic,wheretherearemany
morepossibilitiestocreateanexperiencefortheaudience,plannedorrandom,theatrical,formal,orfun.
The result is an understanding for all that not only are all musicians composers, but the piece of music is
actuallyadialoguebetweencomposer,performer,andlistener,uniquetoanyparticularcombinationofthose
three.InkGamesisintheendanobservationofhowwritinganddesigncanrecordsoundandemotion.
Therearefive“Games”:
1. Blankmusic–theperformershavetotallyblankpages,andthecomposerwritessomethingspontaneously;
the group must perform it immediately, withtheinkstillwet, and work out how it fits together without
rehearsingordiscussing
2. Interpretation – the performers find designs in ink in their environment, on fabric, skin, elsewhere, and
translatethemfromvisualtoauditoryart,akindofdemonstrationofsynaesthesiafortheaudience
3. International Busking – colourful bank notes of different countries are offered to each performer,
provokingthemtochangetofolkmusicofthematchingcountry
4. Octopus–someanimalsuseinkasadefensemechanism,sointhispiece,everythingisineights–thetime
signatures,thescales(eighttonesinsteadoftheusualseven),…
5. TheLastGoodbye–actuallyslightlyinspiredbyJeffBuckley’sfamoussong,andrepresentingascenesoon
afterarelationshiphasended,wheresomefinalthoughtsandfeelingsareexchangedusingink
Ecossaise–flutesolo,withclarinet,violin,piano
Sydney-basedcomposerKristoferSpike(born1959)hasalargeoutputofchambermusicwrittenonthemes
relatedtoheritage,conservation,sustainabilityandtheenvironment,suchasworksdevotedtohisheroes
MuhatmaGhandiandformerGreensSenatorBobBrown,ordescribingbeautifulAustralianplaceslike
KanangraFalls.Ecossaisecertainlysoundsasetherealandatmosphericasmanyofthesepieces,butthetitle
wouldimplya“Scottish”countrydance,muchlikeasquaredanceorbushdance,popularinBritainandFrance
around1800andcooptedbyBeethoven,Chopin,andSchubertamongstotherluminaries.
Heretheevocationofnatureisinescapable.Tricklingandfloatingfiguresfromthepianosupportthesoloist,
whoselinesarefullofawinsomekindoflightness.Theviolinpartattimesisadelicatefiligreeofmemory,and
otherwiselendsstrengthandtenacitytotheflute,whiletheclarinetactsaseitheranechoorawell-blended
closeharmony.
EdwardHarveyPortrait–flute,clarinet,violin
AlanHolley(born1954)isatrumpeterandconductor,withasuccessfulcompositioncareerspanning40
yearsandalmosteveryimaginablegenre,includingoboeandtrumpetconcertoscommissionedbytheSydney
Symphony,chamberoperas,andunaccompaniedsolosformostinstruments.Particularlynoticeableinthe
lattergroupishisregularinspirationfromnature–“muchofmymusicisaresonsetothebirdsinourgarden
throughouttheyear”.
Inotherworks,liketheEdwardHarveyPortrait,themusichasexplicitreal-worldinspirationbutthorough
abstractexpression.Thisisauditoryartwheretexture,collage,andpeaksandtroughsoftensionaremore
importantthanamelody,harmony,orrhythm.Inthesheetmusicwecanreadthatthepieceisacommission
fromMelbournepainterGraemeRowe,inmemoryofoneofhiscloserelativeswhowas“alwaysanoutsider,
somethingofaloner,withastrongsenseofsocialjustice.”However,wedon’tgetintroducedtoEdwardby
wayofbiographyorphotograph,anditleavesabitofscopeforustointerpretthemusicaccordingto
knowledgeofanotherEdwardinourlives,orperhapssomeonewhoisanoutsider.
DoubleConcertoforclarinetandviola–clarinet,viola,piano
DrAndrewKennedyandMichelleUrquhartwillbeperformingthiswork
withtheNSWDoctorsOrchestrainaidofthecharity,LionsSaveSightFoundation,
onSunday15Mayat2.30pmatChatswoodConcourse
1.Andanteconmoto
2.Allegromoderato
3.Allegromolto
Wereitnotforhissonbeingamagnificentclarinetplayer,wemayneverhaveheardanythingother
thansolosforstringedinstrumentbyBruch(1838-1920),asmanyofhisearlierandlessgrandpieces
havebeenlost.Possiblysurvivingduetotheirlatedateandpositionasafamilyheirloom,theEight
Pieces,forthesamesoloistswithpiano,andtheDoubleConcertobothuseararecombinationoftwo
instrumentswithnearlyidenticalrangesandremarkableblendingqualities.Inevitably,therefore,the
clarinetandviolatreatedasequals.Theysoliloquize,converse,reflect,andaffirmeachother
throughout.
AttheoutsetBruchwritesanintroductionofdeclamatorywizardryforeachinstrument,lettingthe
listenerfamiliarisethemselveswiththetwopersonalities,beforethemorecomplexepisodesof
oppositionandteamworkbegin.Listenandwatchforthemusiciansalternatingassoloist,sometimes
passingthetunemoreorlessrapidlytocreateeitherserenityorintensity,andatothertimesunitingto
filloutgloriousormelancholyharmony.Thisisbestachievedinliveperformancewheretheaudience
canreadilygraspthewarmconnectionandintimateteamworkbetweenthemusicians.Inthisworkthe
pianomustrepresenttheaccompanyingorchestra,usuallysupporting,occasionallyembellishinglikea
ripplingharp,sighingoverthetoplikeflutesandoboes,scurryinglikeviolins,orprovidingahuge
brass-likeforceatclimacticpoints.
Thefirstmovementcouldbeseenasasadepictale,withmuchlongermelodiclinesandaninescapable
senseoftragedy.Aquickbreakandthemoodchangesrapidlytoanoutdoorgardenpartyandgentile
waltzinthesecondmovement,driftingintothecoolnightandawalkoftwoloversawaytoasecluded
placeinthedark.Inthefinal,thepianoreplacestheseeminglyominoustrumpetanddrumfanfare,
soongivingwaytoslick,vibrant,ecstaticflourishesfromthe"violins",whichprefacejollyturnsfrom
thetwosoloists.Asmilewillneverbefarfromyourfaceasyouseechildrenimitatingoverly-serious
soldiersintheirinnocentjoyfulgames.
FrenzyandFolly,FireandJoy–clarinetsolo
GrahamHair(born1943)hasbeenaprofessoratMonashUniversity(Australia)andGlasgowUniversity
(Scotland)andhaspennedmusicforessentiallyanycombinationofvoicesandinstruments,aswellaswriting
booksandessaysoncomposers,anddoneresearchinmicrotonalmusicandengineering.Writtenfor
clarinetistRosDunlop,FrenzyandFolly,FireandJoyisa“concertstudy”,whichseemstoimplyit’s
deliberatelydifficultanddesignedtodominatethestage.Inanotherkindof“InkGame”,Hairhaswrittenthis
fast,flashy,andvertiginouslycontrastingpieceafterreadingapoembyJohnShawNeilson,“TheDreamis
Deep”.Thepoetryisaboutindulginginandprolongingpleasuresintheprimeoflife(inthetwoopening
stanzas,below),howthedreamintheheartofamanisfarawayfrombothdeathandheaven,andthe
contemplationofhowonemightgetfromtheformertothelatter.
Markingsinthemusicinclude“asfastaspossiblewithwellmarkedaccents”,“assweetaspossible”,
“shimmering”,and“withallforce”…
“Singmethesongthatneverdies, OflittleLoveblindedandbold Blossomsunblemishedandblueskies
Andthegreengoingintogold. Alltheuproariouspipesweplayed!
FrenzyandFolly,FireandJoy:
Carolswecaughtupforamaid
Andballadsboisterousforaboy.
SonataforFluteandPiano–flute,piano
1.Allegromoderato 2.Andantecantabile 3.Allegroconbrio
4.Moltovivace
Lawyer,composer,teacher,writer,TadeuszSzeligowski(1896-1963)wasaveryprominentPolishcomposer
whosestyle,likeothersofhistime,includedelementsoffolk,neoclassicism,neoromanticism,and
impressionism.IntheFluteSonatathesestylescanbeseenrightupnexttoeachother,apastichecollagewith
plentyofcharmandwit,androllingenergyandoccasionalsparks.
Althoughthemusicisabstract,therecanbeseveralwaystoreadtheintentionofthecomposer.Thefirst
movementseemslikesomekindofsweetandsurrealtrainrideacrossasnowylandscape,followedbyanidea
ofadistant,desperatesongfloatingoveramistyfrozenlakeintheandantemovement.Nextisacrazyelated
dashinasledwithafewnear-misses,beforetheflurryofasnowballfightinthefourthandfinalmovement.
InkGamesorder
IG#1–blankmusic
Spike(8mins)–all
IG#2–tattoointerpretation
Holley(9mins)–EKAKMU
Bruch(20mins)–AKMUGK
INTERVAL
Hair(6mins)-AKalone
IG#3–busking(5mins)-all
Szeligowski(15mins)–EKGK
IG#4–octopus(5mins)-all
IG#5–lastgoodbye(5mins)–MUGK
Priortoconcert,putyourSpike,Holley,andBruch
musiconthestageonatable(notonyourstand).
MakesureAndrewcanwriteonyourstand.Blank
music.Greghashisphoneturnedonbutsilent.
IG1-Andrewwalksonandstartswritingflute
part,thenEwacomesonwhenshefeelslikeit.
ComeonstagewhenAndrewhasstartedwriting
yourpart,andplayit.Remembertoplayinbars
andtempotogether.
Andrewspeaking/welcoming,collectyourmusic.
PlaySpikeandthenChangeyourSPIKEmusicfor
yourHOLLEY.Gregturnshisphoneontoloud.
IG2–MakesureHolleymusicisavailable.Andrew
asks,“so,whoherehasatattoothatmeans
somethingspecialtothem?”andwhenwefind
somepeople,EwaandMichelletakenoteandgo
andinterpretitinmusic;Gregplaysfromrandom
imagesonhismobilephonesentbyAndrew
MichelleterminatesthiswithHOLLEY.Gregstays
onstageandturnsphoneoff.
Interval–putyourforeignfolksongBUSKING
musicup;andmakesureyouhavetheforeign
cash.HaveSzeligowskiandKennedymusictoo.
IdidasktheConsultospeakjustaftertheinterval
for2mins.ItmightbeappropriateforGregand
Ewatostandonstagetothankher.
AndrewwalksoutandplaysHAIRalone(5mins),
thenstopsandwaitswithhishatout;Ewacomes
andputsPolishmoneyinhishat;thenMichelle
putsmoneyinEwa’scase;andGregputsmoneyin
Michelle’shandbag
Attheend,putupyourSzeligowskiorLast
GoodbyeMusic
EwaspeaksagreetinginPolishandplaysthe
sonatawithGreg
Michellebringsonherviolaandputsitaside.She
movesawritingtableintoposition(goodplacefor
aviola)forAndrew
AndrewsayssomethingabouttheInkGamesand
thenatureofperformerandcomposer
relationship;thenEwaandMichellewalkcalmlyto
thepianoandstartplaying
OctopusendswithGregandAndrewplayinganF
sharpminorchord.
PAUSE.Waitforsilence.MoveEwa’stable.Ewa
andAndrewmovetotables,Ewaputsherflute
downandstartstowrite.WhenEwahaswrittena
littlebit,Gregstartsthelastpiece,LastGoodbye.
WhenEwahearsthecharacteristicpart,she
finisheswriting,slowlygetsup,calmlywalksout.