Sofia Gubaidulina: Rejoice! Sonata for Violin and Violoncello: First movement, Listen to the still small voice within [NAWM 213]
- sonata
- study in chromaticism, glissandos, tremolos, and harmonics
- introduces a series of gestures, then offers three variations on the same series of ideas, with four principal motives in violin: a leaping and pulsing figure, a neighbor-note figure, a tremolo glissando, and a pizzicato jumping figure
- cello, playing with intense vibrato throughout, traces a slowly moving, mostly chromatic line that gradually winds down two octaves
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Alfred Schnittke: Concerto Grosso No. 1: Second movement, Toccata
- concerto
- for two violins, harpsichord (doubling on piano), and string orchestra
- first section uses Baroque ideas and material, in a fluttering quiet canon of strings which eventually adds more and more violins until a crescendo
- then violas and cellos begin their own canon
- piece is mostly dissonant strings
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Arvo Part: Seven Magnificat Antiphons: Excerpts [NAWM 215]
- choral antiphons
- German
A) No. 1: O Weisheit
- SATB a capella choir (with each part divided into two parts)
- voices move together in pretty sustained chords
B) No. 6: O Konig aller Volker
- voices do not move together: altos do a chant-like countermelody all on the same note in constant quarter notes as the sopranos sing chords above and basses and tenors sing chords at different times
Paige's Music History Blog 