Epitaphium
Encyclopedia
Epitaphium is a composition for string trio
by Graham Waterhouse
. In 2007, after the death of his father William Waterhouse, he composed Epitaphium In Memoriam W.R.W. as a tribute to his memory.
on 5 November 2007, age 76. His son composed Epitaphium as an Epitaph
to be performed at a memorial service in London
, "In Memoriam W.R.W.". Instead, the trio was premiered on 19 July 2009 in the Kleiner Konzertsaal of the Gasteig
, performed by the players of the Münchner Philharmoniker Clément Courtin (violin) and Gunter Pretzel (viola), and the composer (cello). The program included Wilhelm Killmayer
's Trio (1984), Arnold Schoenberg
's string trio and Mozart's Divertimento K. 563.
Epitaphium was performed several times, including a concert on 14 March 2011 in Munich
presenting mostly contemporary Bavarian composers, along with the composer's Bassoon Quintet
and music of Franz Lachner
, Jörg Duda
, Bernd Redmann
and Dieter Acker
, with viola player Konstantin Sellheim.
Epitaphium was the penultimate work in the concert The Proud Bassoon, celebrating William Waterhouse on 16 April 2011 in Wigmore Hall
. It was the first performance of the work in the UK. The players were the children of William Waterhouse, as had been planned originally for the Memorial Service: Celia Waterhouse, violinist with the BBC Symphony Orchestra
, Lucy Waterhouse, viola, and the composer, cello. On the program was also the composer's quartet for three bassoons and contrabassoon Bright Angel
.
. The harmony relies on the pure intervals – perfect fourth
s, perfect fifth
s and octaves, often together with open strings and natural harmonics. Cadenza
-like episodes and pizzicato
add colour. A motif
quotes the "Requiescant in pace" from Britten's War Requiem
, referring both to the words "may they rest in peace" as to the premiere of the work, which William Waterhouse had played as the bassoon
ist of the Melos Ensemble, conducted by the composer. An augmented version of the opening theme in the violin, accompanied by fifths on natural harmonics and bell-like pizzicato, ends the music.
Peter Grahame Woolf summarized after the UK premiere: "Epitaphium for W.R.W. packs a memorable punch and intensity into 76 bars".
String trio
A string trio is a group of three string instruments or a piece written for such a group. The term is generally used with reference to works of chamber music from the Classical period to the present.-History:...
by Graham Waterhouse
Graham Waterhouse
Graham Waterhouse is an English composer and a cellist. He is known for chamber music and for unusual scoring, such as Piccolo Quintet, Bright Angel for three bassoons and contrabassoon, Chieftain's Salute for Great Highland Bagpipe and string orchestra, and works for speaking voice and cello,...
. In 2007, after the death of his father William Waterhouse, he composed Epitaphium In Memoriam W.R.W. as a tribute to his memory.
History
William Waterhouse died suddenly in FlorenceFlorence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
on 5 November 2007, age 76. His son composed Epitaphium as an Epitaph
Epitaph
An epitaph is a short text honoring a deceased person, strictly speaking that is inscribed on their tombstone or plaque, but also used figuratively. Some are specified by the dead person beforehand, others chosen by those responsible for the burial...
to be performed at a memorial service in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, "In Memoriam W.R.W.". Instead, the trio was premiered on 19 July 2009 in the Kleiner Konzertsaal of the Gasteig
Gasteig
Gasteig is a cultural center in Munich, opened in 1985, which hosts the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra. The Richard Strauss Conservatory, the Volkshochschule, and the municipal library are all located in the Gasteig...
, performed by the players of the Münchner Philharmoniker Clément Courtin (violin) and Gunter Pretzel (viola), and the composer (cello). The program included Wilhelm Killmayer
Wilhelm Killmayer
Wilhelm Killmayer is a German composer of classical music and an academic.-Professional career:Wilhelm Killmayer studied conducting and composition from 1945 to 1951 in Munich at Hermann Wolfgang von Waltershausen’s Musikseminar...
's Trio (1984), Arnold Schoenberg
Arnold Schoenberg
Arnold Schoenberg was an Austrian composer, associated with the expressionist movement in German poetry and art, and leader of the Second Viennese School...
's string trio and Mozart's Divertimento K. 563.
Epitaphium was performed several times, including a concert on 14 March 2011 in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
presenting mostly contemporary Bavarian composers, along with the composer's Bassoon Quintet
Bassoon Quintet
Bassoon Quintet is short for the Quintet of Graham Waterhouse, composed in 2003 for bassoon and string quartet.- History :...
and music of Franz Lachner
Franz Lachner
Franz Paul Lachner was a German composer and conductor.Lachner was born in Rain am Lech to a musical family . He studied music with Simon Sechter and Maximilian, the Abbé Stadler. He conducted at the Theater am Kärntnertor in Vienna. In 1834, he became Kapellmeister at Mannheim...
, Jörg Duda
Jörg Duda
Jörg Duda is a German composer of classical music.-Professional career:Duda was influenced by the church music of Scheyern Abbey. He took lessons in organ and improvisation with Harald Feller, in theory and composition with Dieter Acker. From 1988 to 1992 he studied church music at the...
, Bernd Redmann
Bernd Redmann
Bernd Redmann is a German composer and musicologist.-Professional career:Bernd Redmann studied at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater München, music pedagogy and composition with Dieter Acker, and music theory. He was also enrolled for musicology at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München...
and Dieter Acker
Dieter Acker
Dieter Acker was a German composer.-Selected works:Concertante* Musik for viola, harp and string orchestra Chamber music* Duo for viola and cello * Sonata for viola and piano...
, with viola player Konstantin Sellheim.
Epitaphium was the penultimate work in the concert The Proud Bassoon, celebrating William Waterhouse on 16 April 2011 in Wigmore Hall
Wigmore Hall
Wigmore Hall is a leading international recital venue that specialises in hosting performances of chamber music and is best known for classical recitals of piano, song and instrumental music. It is located at 36 Wigmore Street, London, UK and was built to provide London with a venue that was both...
. It was the first performance of the work in the UK. The players were the children of William Waterhouse, as had been planned originally for the Memorial Service: Celia Waterhouse, violinist with the BBC Symphony Orchestra
BBC Symphony Orchestra
The BBC Symphony Orchestra is the principal broadcast orchestra of the British Broadcasting Corporation and one of the leading orchestras in Britain.-History:...
, Lucy Waterhouse, viola, and the composer, cello. On the program was also the composer's quartet for three bassoons and contrabassoon Bright Angel
Bright Angel (Waterhouse)
Bright Angel is a composition for three bassoons and contrabassoon by Graham Waterhouse. It was composed in 2008 for the annual conference of the International Double Reed Society.- History :...
.
Music
The 76-bar work is marked Adagio ma con moto. The opening theme is reminiscent of plainsongPlainsong
Plainsong is a body of chants used in the liturgies of the Catholic Church. Though the Eastern Orthodox churches and the Catholic Church did not split until long after the origin of plainchant, Byzantine chants are generally not classified as plainsong.Plainsong is monophonic, consisting of a...
. The harmony relies on the pure intervals – perfect fourth
Perfect fourth
In classical music from Western culture, a fourth is a musical interval encompassing four staff positions , and the perfect fourth is a fourth spanning five semitones. For example, the ascending interval from C to the next F is a perfect fourth, as the note F lies five semitones above C, and there...
s, perfect fifth
Perfect fifth
In classical music from Western culture, a fifth is a musical interval encompassing five staff positions , and the perfect fifth is a fifth spanning seven semitones, or in meantone, four diatonic semitones and three chromatic semitones...
s and octaves, often together with open strings and natural harmonics. Cadenza
Cadenza
In music, a cadenza is, generically, an improvised or written-out ornamental passage played or sung by a soloist or soloists, usually in a "free" rhythmic style, and often allowing for virtuosic display....
-like episodes and pizzicato
Pizzicato
Pizzicato is a playing technique that involves plucking the strings of a string instrument. The exact technique varies somewhat depending on the type of stringed instrument....
add colour. A motif
Motif (music)
In music, a motif or motive is a short musical idea, a salient recurring figure, musical fragment or succession of notes that has some special importance in or is characteristic of a composition....
quotes the "Requiescant in pace" from Britten's War Requiem
War Requiem
The War Requiem, Op. 66 is a large-scale, non-liturgical setting of the Requiem Mass composed by Benjamin Britten mostly in 1961 and completed January 1962. Interspersed with the traditional Latin texts, in telling juxtaposition, are settings of Wilfred Owen poems...
, referring both to the words "may they rest in peace" as to the premiere of the work, which William Waterhouse had played as the bassoon
Bassoon
The bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family that typically plays music written in the bass and tenor registers, and occasionally higher. Appearing in its modern form in the 19th century, the bassoon figures prominently in orchestral, concert band and chamber music literature...
ist of the Melos Ensemble, conducted by the composer. An augmented version of the opening theme in the violin, accompanied by fifths on natural harmonics and bell-like pizzicato, ends the music.
Peter Grahame Woolf summarized after the UK premiere: "Epitaphium for W.R.W. packs a memorable punch and intensity into 76 bars".
External links
- Graham Waterhouse website
- Clément Courtin, Münchner Philharmoniker
- Gunter Pretzel, Münchner Philharmoniker
- Konstantin Sellheim, Münchner Philharmoniker