Richard Vella    composer

These ten preludes were written over four decades. Some were originally composed for piano while others are adaptations or elaborations of other chamber works or film cues written by the composer.

 

Aesthetically, these preludes combine diverse genres into hybrid forms. Informed by post-minimalism, experimental music, various rhythmic and avant-garde techniques, these preludes explore approaches to texture, the convergence of genres, harmonic and rhythmic organisation. Harmonic organistion ranges from the use of tonality, atonality, modality and set theory to symmetrical and non-symmetrical harmonic fields. Rhythmic organisation includes the use of metric and non-metric time, polyrhythm, rhythmic stratification involving independent layers, and free rhythm. The textures of many of the works explore register counterpoint, spatial expansion and contraction of registers, and simultaneity.

 

The ten preludes are dedicated to composer pianists: Michael Kieran Harvey and Colin Spiers in appreciation of their friendship and extraordinary musicianship.