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Nina C. Young is a young composer whose music has often been characterized by distinctions in color. The vibrancy and tone she brings into her music is unique while her development and treatment of movement and transitions has been inhanced by her work in electronic music. Her music has been performed in international venues including Carnegie Hall and Le Nouvel Ensemble Moderne and by famous ensembles including the JACK Quartet (featured below).
Memento Mori is a piece written for string quartet. Originally in Latin the text translates to 'remember that you will die'. Her inspiration for the first 'phase' of this piece (this movement is a part of a longer in progress work) comes from sundials. One in particular shares the motto, "life flies on like an arrow, while it seems to stand still". She urges the audience in the program notes on her website, to view this as a meditation of time and perception, and to enjoy the the "subtle fluctuations in amplitude, texture, and periodicity in the music".
Memento Mori
Spero Lucem, written for Piano Quartet (Violin, Viola, Cello) and Piano, is an excellent display of the tones, colors, and types of musical development that she brings from her influence of electronic music. Each instrument interacts with the other in regards to note sharing, and I love the use of the extended techniques in the piano. For this piece, it is fun to actually watch the video so that you can see the performers interacting with each other and to see the way the pianist uses his instrument.
Spero Lucem
Kolokol is written for two pianos and electronics. The piece is inspired by original seventeen Russian Orthodox Bells that used to hang at Harvard University. Unfortunately, the bells were returned to Russia, however, Young was able to return to Harvard after they replaced them to gain inspiration for the piece's harmonies and to make field recordings that you can actually hear in the piece's electronic track. The piece is written in four nonstop movements, played back to back.
Kolokol
Nina C. Young is a brilliant composer whose pieces vary in inspiration and creativity. Her music has definitely challenged me in my treatment of form and instrument interaction/conversations. To find more information regarding her performances, music, and career, please visit her Website and the other social media links at the top of the page.
For those of you who might need it :
I do not own any of the videos, information, or music in this blog posts or any other posts that you might find on this blog.
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