Trance

Description

Violoncello — Although my wife Elizabeth took me on a two-week Caribbean cruise as a pre-70th birthday vacation gift, two short works for string instruments emerged during the trip: Trance for solo violoncello and Sojournen for solo viola.This cello piece invokes two of the many meanings of “spell”: an incantation and also a short period of time.xa0 The solo is a trance-like, fleeting scherzo in a three-part through-composed design.xa0 The entire piece is constructed from very limited material stated in the opening gestures with much use made of open strings.xa0 Following an introduction, the three brief sections serve as “mini-études” for glissandi tremolandos, measured tremolos, and double-stopped rapid bowing.I think an omnipresent autumnal aural breeze was in my mind since the soloist’s oration — indeed under a “spell” — never lets up, even at very low dynamic levels.xa0 This constant motion requires dexterity, finesse and an elegant control from the performer.Trance is approximately five minutes in duration, was written while at sea and completed on December 15, 2003, in Saint Johns, Antigua.xa0 The score is dedicated to the American cellist Jeffrey Zeigler.