Brittle Fluid (2014) for 14 strings

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Brittle Fluid relates extra-musically, loosely, to the description of a frozen waterfall given in Tarjei Vesaas’ novel, The Ice Palace. In that book, a young girl looses her way exploring the small rooms created by it, and eventually succumbs to hypothermia amid hallucinations, prompted by bright light shining in through the icy walls. Making something with such motion and energy static is a feat of nature, and a compositional challenge.

Review in Morgenbladet (subscription required)

Premiered by Telemark Chamber Orchestra in September 2014, in Akershus Slottskirke in Oslo. Also released on the album Tapestry on the label Fabra, and performed by the Vienna Concert-verein Orchestra. Written with kind support from the Norwegian Arts Council. Published by the Norwegian National Library.