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  • Nico Muhly

  • Common Ground (2008)

  • St. Rose Music Publishing (World)
  • pf, vn, vc
  • 9 min

Programme Note

Common Ground employs three different repetitive techniques. The first third of the piece is a cycle of chords of expanding and contracting length, with the violin and cello trading agitated little lines. The second is a pastoral obsession over essentially one chord: light changing over a field. Here, the cello leads, and the violin and piano offer insect-like interruptions. After a metronomic interlude and a free-form interlude, the piano begins stating a ground bass – a repetitive line around which the harmonies constantly shift. This sort of thing pops up in Purcell, where I first encountered it as a choirboy. The piece ends with a hyperactive recapitulation and is approximately 9 minutes long.

Media

Muhly: Common Ground

Scores

Preview the score

Discography

Queen of Hearts

Queen of Hearts
  • Label
    Tria Records
  • Ensemble
    Claremont Trio
  • Released
    25th February 2022