REQUIEM FOR MY FIGHTS

What is the exact moment in which one abandons an ideal, a belief, a mission? “Requiem for my fights” is an investigation, a close-up on the instant in which defeat is declared in a personal battle. A central performer writes, destroys, repents and finally celebrates, as in a funeral ritual, the farewell to a personal aspiration that has proven utopian, in favor of a quiet acceptance of reality’s immutability. The orchestra, like an echo of a stream of consciousness, does nothing but amplify the gestures and sounds produced by the soloist. Although entirely acoustic, “Requiem for my fights” explores with equal weight both the sonic and physical dimensions of performance, through a series of staged actions connected to an extra-musical theme that runs, with stubborn familiarity, through many lives.

Instrumentation:

Soloist:

• Prepared snare drum
• Kick drum
• A4 paper sheets

Orchestra:

• 1 Flute in C
• 1 Oboe
• 1 Clarinet Bb
• 1 Bassoon
• 2 Horns in F
• 1 Trumpet in Bb
• 1 Trombone
• 8 Violins
• 2 Violas
• 3 Cellos
• 1 Double bass (4 strings)All players are also provided with some A4 paper sheets.

Snare drum preparation:

Position a sheet of 100-grit sandpaper on the drumhead of the snare drum, with the rough side facing up. Place the sandpaper in the upper half of the drumhead, on the side opposite the performer. Secure it with masking tape to prevent any movement. Ensure the snare throw-off mechanism is positioned so it is easily accessible to the performer. For the beginning of the piece, place an A4 paper sheet on the snare drum so that half of the sheet is in contact with the sandpaper and the other half is directly on the drumhead.