Paraphrase III – ”Soave dolore”

Paraphrase III is part of a larger Paraphrase-cycle that consists of several independent works. The starting point in each of the cycle’s work is a specific composers work or a genre. The works of the cycle can be performed either as independent works or consecutively as a cycle.

​

In the Paraphrase-cycle I approach the concept of paraphrase as a way of self-reflection as well as a commentary on a specific historical style. My composing process begins from a place where I’m relatively close to the original music, until I gradually move farther away from it. During this process the musical material goes through a variety of filters resulting in an unexpected synthesis of elements I’ve extracted from the original work combined with ways of expression that are typical for myself.

​

The material of the wind quintet is derived from Carlo Gesualdo’s madrigal "O dolorosa gioia", which is a five-part vocal work. The subtitle of the quintet, Soave dolore (“sweet sorrow”), refers to the original work’s text, which is consequently used as vocal material for the instrumentalists in Paraphrase III.