Novella for violin and piano (2004)
Written for Avril Javel
Premiere: May 2004, Tacoma WA

Live recording, May 2004
Avril Javel, violin

Note

This single-movement, fantasy-like piece for violin and piano represents an effort to fuse the spirit of the great masterpieces of the violin repertoire with the harmonic and rhythmic languages of the twenty-first century. A relatively brief exposition introduces the two themes that form the backbone of the rest of the work, one meandering and reserved, another bold and confidant. Both are sequenced, fragmented, played in dimunition, and otherwise tampered with as the development unfolds. The emotional apotheosis—fortissimo, marcato double stops in the violin—concludes the middle section, giving way to a distant, ethereal recapitulation that concludes the piece, evoking the essence of the original material without returning to it directly. At times sparse and understated, at times dense and fantastically difficult, Novella showcases the diverse capabilities of the instrument and the many voices with which it can speak.

This work was composed for and is dedicated to Avril Javel.