Rūta Vitkauskaitė

Orion Arm (2011)

Duration:

7′ 12″

Instrumentation:

8 Double Basses

Programme Note

The Orion Arm in astronomy is a minor spiral arm of the Milky Way, within which lies our Solar System and therefore the Earth. The idea for this composition is based on the sound movement between eight double-bass instruments placed in a half-circle. I wanted to explore spatial composition within the standard concert setting. The spatial aspects are subtle and cannot be exactly heard in the recording, but the spiraling movement of melodies, motifs, and gestures from one instrument to another shapes the narrative of this piece. The composition consists of ten sections, interconnected and overlapping with each other. I explore aspects of spatial sound perception in each section in different ways by playing with the placement of instruments or using extended and conventional techniques to create impressions of close-up and far-away sounds.
Gaida Festival commission for Ludus Gravis (IT).