Singularity
for 10 players.
flute/alto flute/piccolo, oboe/cor anglais, Eb/Bb clarinet, Bb bass clarinet,
trombone, percussion, piano, guitar, violin, viola, 'cello, double bass.
1991-2003: 44 mins. approx.
Singularity:
the state of being singular / individual / unique.
the centre of a black hole at which matter is crushed to an infinite density, the pull of gravity is infinitely strong, and the space-time curvature becomes infinitely large - a point where our old models must be discarded...
i) Parallaxis
for 8 players.
flute/alto flute/piccolo, Bb clarinet, trombone, percussion, piano, violin, viola, guitar.
1993 rev. 2000: 8 mins. 15 secs. approx.
ii) Glimeren
for 5 players.
piccolo, celesta, violin, viola, guitar.
1991 rev. 1998: 8 mins. approx.
iii) Sapiens
for 7 players.
oboe, Eb clarinet, Bb bass clarinet, trombone, percussion, cello, double bass.
2001 rev. 2003: 3mins. 30 secs. approx.
iv) Erg
for 6 players.
cor anglais, Bb bass clarinet, piano, cello, double bass, guitar.
2001: 9mins. 45 secs. approx.
v) Sphinx
for 10 players.
flute/alto flute/piccolo, oboe/cor anglais, Eb/Bb clarinet, Bb bass clarinet, trombone, percussion, violin, viola, cello, double bass.
1994 rev. 2001: 14mins. 30 secs. approx.
Parallaxis
for 8 players.
flute/alto flute/piccolo, Bb clarinet, trombone, percussion, piano, violin, viola, guitar.
1993 rev. 2000: 8 mins. 15 secs.
parallax:- n. an apparent change in position of an object caused by change in the position of the observer.
Greek. Parallaxis:- para, beside, beyond. allassein, to change – allos, another.
Chambers English Dictionary, 7th. edition.
"...Which can is the best I may?..."
from A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers, by Peter Hammill.
Parallaxis is the first movement of Singularity, and may also be performed as a separate work.
Score Sample (PDF)
Glimeren
for 5 players.
piccolo, guitar, celesta, violin, viola.
1991 rev. 1998: 8 mins.
glimmer:- v.i. to shine faintly and unsteadily; to flicker; - n. a faint, unsteady light; a flicker [Middle English: glimeren]
"...look to the why and where we are,
look to yourself and the stars..."
from Lemmings, by Peter Hammill.
Glimeren, the second movement of Singularity, was commissioned by the ELISION ensemble, and premiered by them in Bolzano in November 1991, under the direction of Sandro Gorli.
Sapiens
for 7 players.
oboe, Eb clarinet, Bb bass clarinet, trombone, percussion, 'cello, double bass.
2001: 3 mins. 30 secs.
"...the stars shine, but they’re not for me..."
from A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers, by Peter Hammill.
Sapiens is the third movement of Singularity, and may also be performed as a separate work.
Erg
for 6 players.
cor anglais, Bb bass clarinet, piano, guitar, 'cello, double bass.
2001: 9 mins. 45 secs.
"...cracked images from other people’s stages;
now, we’re into a game, and it’s all a bit strange..."
from Into a Game, by Peter Hammill.
Erg is the fourth movement of Singularity, and may also be performed as a separate work.
Score Sample (PDF)
Sphinx
for 10 players.
flute/alto flute/piccolo, oboe/cor anglais, Eb/Bb clarinet, Bb bass clarinet, trombone, percussion, violin, viola, 'cello, double bass.
1994 rev. 2001: 14 mins. 30 secs. approx.
"...I am the one who crossed through space,
or stayed where I was,
or didn’t exist in the first place..."
from Pioneers over c, by Peter Hammill.
Commissioned by the ELISION ensemble, Sphinx is the fifth (and final) of the pieces that combine to form Singularity (Parallaxis, Glimeren, Sapiens, Erg and Sphinx); the completion of this larger work in 2001 bringing to a close an extended period of re-evaluation that - through the refinement of earlier scores and the resolution of disparate influences - resulted in the clarification of my compositional thinking and provided the impetus for the many new works that have followed. Singularity (...the centre of a black hole...a point where our old models must be discarded...) offers several performance configurations - in its entirety (12 players - about 45 minutes), or in any one of 4 subsets each of 3 pieces (12 players - 25 to 30 minutes). Any individual piece may also be performed in its own right (5 to 10 players - 3 ½ to about 14 ½ minutes).
Excerpts of lyrics by English songwriter Peter Hammill - whose imagery has also served to trigger several other (mostly early) works - accompany each piece. The individual dedications acknowledge people who had a constructive influence on my musical evolution. Sphinx is dedicated to Daryl Buckley, who was responsible for several of the earliest significant commissions.
Given the gist of the quote and the associations most commonly evoked by the word Sphinx - mythological creatures, riddles, ancient monuments, enigmatic individuals - it seems somehow appropriate that this piece is built on material taken from a guitar solo (part of which no longer exists), is dedicated to a guitarist, and is a work in which the guitar takes no part.
Sphinx was premiered by the ELISION Ensemble at the Iwaki Auditorium, Melbourne on the 9th of August 2008, under the direction of Mark Knoop.
Score Sample (PDF)
Mark Knoop
Photo:YATZEK
Melt
for 8 percussionists.
(2 glock/crotales, 2 xylophones, 2 vibes, 2 marimbas).
2005: 10 mins. 30 secs.
Murderers of Calm
for 7 players.
mandolin, guitar, violin, viola, double bass, Bb bass clarinet, percussion.
1987: 9 mins. 30 secs.
"...We have looked upon the heroes
and they are found wanting;
we have looked hard across the land,
but we can see no dawn..."
from Lemmings by Peter Hammill.
Murderers of Calm was commissioned by the ELISION Ensemble, and premiered by them in Melbourne in February 1987, under the direction of Anthony Briggs.
Per Mortuo: Pacé
for 5 players.
flute, Bb clarinet, percussion, violin, 'cello.
1985: 7 mins.
Per Mortuo: Pacé was written for the New Audience series of concerts held at Melbourne University in the mid 1980s and was premiered in August 1985 by the New Audience Ensemble under the direction of Anthony Briggs.
Steigung
for 5 players.
alto sax, piano, violin, viola, double bass.
2000: 10 mins.
Commissioned by Topology, Steigung translates from the German as rise, acclivity, ascent; reflecting not only the structure of the piece but also a few other things besides, including for example (and in no particular order), Topology’s reputation, the general cost of living, and the nation’s desire for reconciliation. The piece is fairly rhythmic, is generally ‘up’ in tempo and mood, and although piano and sax may be inclined to dominate, it requires the good-natured cooperation of all concerned.
Steigung was premiered by Topology on 2/6/2001 at the Brisbane Powerhouse.
Score Sample (PDF)
Topology | 
