Oneiroi

solo piano
2013

Duration 9’
Instrumentation piano
Commissioned by the Festspiele Europäische Wochen Passau
First Performance Sunday 7 July 2013; Mona Asuka Ott
Recording At the Speed of Stillness Download the album from iTunes

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Further Performances
12.9.14 Piano Salon Christophori, Berlin, Germany; Julien Quentin
11.4 .15 Specs On! Me Collectors Room, Berlin, Germany; Nestan Bagrationi-Davitashvili
19.5.15 Bilkent New Music Days, Ankara, Turkey; Müge Hendekli (Hezarfen Ensemble)
21.10.16 Stratford Upon Avon Music Festival, UK; Jonathan Musgrave, Contemporary Consort
3.12.16 Metallics Psappha, Manchester; Benjamin Powell Psappha Soloists
2.03.24 York Unitarian Chapel, UK; Hilary Suckling piano

Commissioned by the Festspiele Europäische Wochen Passau
Dedicated to Oliver Knussen

In Greek mythology, dreams are personified by dark-winged spirits called Oneiroi. They emerge at night from their cavernous home in Erebos, the land of eternal darkness beyond the rising sun. According to Homer, the Oneiroi passed through one of two gates: the deceitful dreams through a polished ivory gate, while the prophetic, god-sent dreams issue from a transparent gate made of horn. Since dreams are essentially a private inner space, a hidden dialogue of thoughts and emotions, the parallel of the Oneiroi is fitting in viewing the piece as a Spirit of dreams.

Works by Hans Werner Henze and Oliver Knussen inspired the piece. A dialogue of thoughts flow throughout- an incredibly private inner space, frequently returning to melodies, as if flashes of dream recur. Sometimes dark, isolated, and pensive, and at other times delicate, lyrical, and warmer in character, the music is in constant flux between a clear and a blurred state- one questions whether it is a dream or reality.