Storyteller (Chamber Concerto no.3) - for solo double bass and eight players - 2010 - recomposed 2024
duration 15 minutes
The Paul Klee Ensemble via Fabio di Casola and Kaspar Zehnder commissioned a concertino work for double bass and ensemble entitled Storyteller for a concert on the theme of childhood. The soloist in Bern in January 2011 was Ivan Nestic who also gave considerable help with the writing of the bass part.
In 2024 I completely rewrote this work, leaving just the opening and final sections largely unchanged.
Storyteller conjures up "a picture of storytelling" rather than describing any specific plot. I imagined a spellbound gathering of people around a crackling fire in the dark of night, manipulated by a slightly sinister character, casting flickering shadows and weaving his yarns with well-dramaticised twists and turns. We all like to be scared a little by stories, and to enjoy their fairytale melodramas!
After a brief "curtain up", the piece divides into three sections: fast-slow-fast. The solo bass both tells the story (via the ensemble) and comments upon it, sometimes stepping outside the narrative as if he were interpretting it with "asides" to his audience, who themselves occasionally react. The whole scene has a slightly malevolent air, with a "dark energy" and much animation. The mood becomes more sultry and intense in a song-like central slow passage. Eventually the storyteller snaps us out of the spell and the music sets of firstly in rippling sequences but becomes progressively more animated and then passionate. But, as in all good fairy stories, there is a happy ending as everyone skips off over the hill!
Scoring: solo double bass, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, violin, 'cello, piano
PLEASE READ: THIS IS NOT A PUBLIC DOMAIN WORK. ALL RIGHTS ARE RESERVED. PRINTED COPIES ARE FOR EVALUATION PURPOSES ONLY
solo double bass
flute oboe clarinet bassoon
horn violin cello piano
(cover painting "Storyteller" by Ilgvars Zalans - used by kind permission)
Computer realisation (obviously this has limitations...)
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