Speak
DR VokalEnsemblet
In emptiness we speak.
Premiered by: the Danish National Vocal Ensemble (DR VokalEnsemblet)
8th March 2019 ;
Pulsar Festival - Copenhagen, Denmark
18-part vocal ensemble: (5xS, 4xA, 4xT, 5xB), piano for rehearsal only
Performance Note:
The premise behind the work is to create a space within which to be heard. Phonetic illusions blur and open the sense of space while sounds swell and fade as though beneath the surface of water. The sentence “In emptiness we speak.” is the text for this work and appears in fragments, forming coherency only briefly. Speak is specifically written to consider the developments of women’s rights and freedom in the history and present of our societies worldwide. Although developments in gender equality have come a long way, there is still disparity between the weight that voices hold in our world today. It is a conversation that must involve all genders.
The piece can be performed by 18 vocal soloists, as it was premiered, or for a larger ensemble divided into 18 parts. Piano is for rehearsal only.
“There is no gate, no lock, no bolt that you can set upon the freedom of my mind.”