Works: A Guess-Me-Knot (2008)
A Guess-Me-Knot is a musical account of this excellent tale. Imagine that each line of music you hear is a strand of rope. At first we hear only one such "strand": the music does not work against itself. Then after a short time, the music splits into two, and you will hear what is referred to in the score as a "Two-Strand Knot". The parts then re-unite, only to split again, this time into a more complicated "Four-Strand Knot". Finally, the music is reunited with itself.
As a musical representation of the "Matthew Walker Knot", I have devised a contrapuntal technique which closely mirrors the direction and orientation of each strand of rope before, during, and after the successful execution of this tricky knot. The strand is initially the "right way up"; it then loops back upon itself; it then turns back again and ducks behind the other strands, and then loops through itself (which I have represented as a form of melodic inversion).
The result, I hope, is an interesting and humorous journey in musical counterpoint!
Tim Benjamin, May 2008
Further Information / Downloads
| Premiere: | 25th May 2008, Purcell Room, Southbank Centre, London: Radius (Jennifer George, flute; Charys Green, bass clarinet; Alexandra Wood, violin; Oliver Coates, cello) |
| Duration: | 8 minutes |
| Instrumentation: | flute, bass clarinet, violin, cello |
| Available files: |
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