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V​.​Germanavi​č​ius - Underwater Geometry for solo bass, soprano saxophones and symphony orchestra (2016)

from Liudas Mock​ū​nas - Polylogues (CD1​)​: Works for solo saxophone and orchestra by Liudas Mockūnas

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VYTAUTAS GERMANAVIČIUS (*1969)
Underwater Geometry
for solo bass, soprano saxophones and symphony orchestra (2016)

This work explores the underwater world, seen as an abode for hyperbolic structures, vast expanses and a variety of colours, vestiges of ancient civilizations and pioneering discoveries, a place that still poses plenty of unanswered questions for the future of humanity. The work’s sound design has a certain ‘thrilleresque’ quality, with its dynamic change of contrasting musical gestures and registers, use of pitch structures and overtones, creating an atmosphere of suspense or overt peril, hooted syllables from the poem in cree language (in the first section, the bass saxophone part features syllables from a poem by Canadian poet Louise Bernice Halfe, taken from her book Blue Marrow, 1998), as well as a rapid increase or decrease in the volume and density of sound textures. There’s not much space for the soloist’s improvisation though; instead, he or she is offered to elaborate on the composer’s ideas according to the given sound parameters, modes or instrumental techniques and within a given time bracket.

The piece is written in two sections divided by a gong signal and a short caesura, after which the soprano saxophone and orchestra in high register seem to take the lead. The bass saxophone, however, soon reappears, grunting out quick sextuplets and a variation on an overtone series, later rumbling funky rhythms in unison with the tuba and finally going berserk in free variations accompanied by brass clusters. A moment of respite before the next storm sets the stage for an elaborate soprano cadenza. The work concludes with the beat of tutti clusters and splashing gongs, as if plunging the whole lot back into the depths, in which the soloist’s last air bubble disappears.

Vytautas Germanavičius, Veronika Janatjeva

This piece is an example of the collaborative work between a composer and a performer. Vytautas invited me to contribute some samples of my sound vocabulary, which he later used in writing his score and which in turn made me feel in my own element while performing his piece. It was commissioned by the 2017 Gaida Festival and premiered by the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Jonathan Berman, with me as a soloist and dedicatee of the piece. The album features a live recording of the world premiere performance.

Liudas Mockūnas

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from Liudas Mock​ū​nas - Polylogues (CD1​)​: Works for solo saxophone and orchestra, released June 30, 2021
Vytautas Germanavičius - Underwater Geometry for solo bass, soprano saxophones and symphony orchestra (2016)

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We believe that Free Improvisation and Contemporary Classical Music are just two dialects of the same language. That is why we start this series within the NoBusinessRecords Label: to create more synergy between these musical circles and to create opportunities for fans in both aesthetics to discover one another’s treasures in music.

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