Miquel Pardo-Llungarriu
MIQUEL PARDO-LLUNGARRIU (Barcelona, 1959) is a musician (composer and pianist), musicologist and philosopher, Superior degree in Composition, Musicology and Doctor Cum Laude in Philosophy at the University of Barcelona, with a PhD about estètica musical phenomenological music aesthetics.
Member of the Catalan Composers Association since 1996, he has composed around 100 works for piano solo, organ, guitar, chant, chamber music, cobla, symphonic band and orchestra. He has awarded some national and international prices and some of his works are published in Clivis, Dínsic, Periferia and Tritò editions.
Since 1992, Pardo-Llungarriu teaches Harmony and Music Theory at Conservatori Professional Municipal de Música de Sabadell, where he later was director. In addition, he wrote music critics for the Revista Musical Catalana between 1998 and 2001.
Read more on: www.miquelpardo.accompositors.com
Details of PIERROT I ARLEQUÍ
Contact the composer (mpardollungarriu@hotmail.com) to get the score. 8 pages. Duration: ca. 10:00. Neoclassic.
Level: HIGH. Range (written): A2 – C#6
Technical Skills: Breathing (long phrases). Diversity of articulations. Slaps. Lots of fast excerpts. Altissimo register. Multiphonics (full and separate sounds) accuracy. Rhythm demanding. Flatterzungue. Bisbigliandi. Vibratos and sound oscillations. Key sounds. Smorzando and air sounds.
Performance Skills: Expressive phrasing in the slow sections. To perform with easy and agility in the fast sections. To control the rhythm and tempo changes by keeping the continuity of the phrasing. Integration of the multiphonics as a harmonic-tonal element of the work.
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Comment on PIERROT I ARLEQUÍ
In the previous working sessions to the premiere, MIQUEL PARDO-LLUNGARRIU told me that PIERROT I ARLEQUÍ was his first work for baritone saxophone solo although he already wrote some works including this instrument. Its timber, ductility of the different registers, sound richness (articulations, attacks, harmonics, multiphonics, etc) and its potential expressivity were the characteristics that appealed Pardo-Llungarriu to write this work for baritone saxophone.
As the composer said:
All my compositions spring from a inner interest, from a desire of adventure and exploration of the soundscape that offer me the different instruments. I think that this work is a clear example of this intention, with the challenge to write for a solo instrument. I tried to communicate musical feelings and thoughts as humour and irony through these well-loved characters from the commedia dell’arte: Pierrot and Harlequin.
This work was commissioned by the Catalan Association of Composers for the concert I did in the season Música d’Ara 2016 in Barcelona, organized by this institution. The premiere took place on October 20th, 2016.
The two movements of the work describe well the character of each clown (in addition, saxophone is inevitably associated with this instrument): one side, Pierrot, the sad and melancholic one and fallen in love with the moon, and the other, Harlequin, the cunning, grumpy and troublemaker one.
The main theme of the first movement has a languid air which becomes dramatic at its climax. Despite of having some excerpts written in rapid figurations and, sometimes, complex rhythms and amalgam measures, its general character is melodic and melancholic.
The second movement is predominantly rhythmical with diversity of articulations and contains a defiant cadence just before the final section. The movement ends in a brilliant way.
Traditional notation is used as well as resources typical of contemporary music for saxophone as multiphonics, the slaps, bisbigliandi, glissandi and portamenti, flatterzunge, smorzatti and noise of keys. In addition, the altissimo register is used in some excerpts. In my opinion, the use of multiphonics is remarkable, acting as a true polyphony very well integrated in the melodic discourse of the piece.
PIERROT I ARLEQUÍ requires a high technical mastery of the baritone and is also demanding musically. This work is very suitable for all kind of performances.
I encourage you to work on it and don’t hesitate to contact me if you want to know more about PIERROT I ARLEQUÍ by Miquel Pardo-Llugarriu.
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