Composed in
1996

For
9 Players

Instrumentation
Clar. – Bassn. – Horn – Trbn. – Perc. – Pno. – Vla. – Vc. – Db

Duration
10′

First performance
February 7, 1997 at deSingel in Antwerp (B). Ensemble Champ d’Action, cond. : Celso ANTUNES.

Commercial recordings
Megadisc MDC 7828/29 (2cd)

Publisher
Lantro Music

Luc on “OBAN” :

This work was composed in 1996 on commission of the International Arts Center “deSingel” in Antwerp for the Ensemble Champ d’Action. The score is dedicated to Serge Verstockt (artistic director/founder of the ensemble & friend since years) and to conductor Celso Antunes. “OBAN” is my fifth single malt whisky piece after “Knockando”, “Talisker”, “Laphroaig” & “Bowmore” (two more will be following, of which “Cardhu” is about to be completed). The work is written for 9 instruments. Since the whisky concerned has a round taste, I chose for mostly low sounding instruments. That doesn’t mean of course that there are no high notes involved, on the contrary… “OBAN” is in one part, but consists of four sections. The work begins with an introduction based on flageolet-tones in the strings. This is followed by a fairly long, rapid passage in what I would call “(des)-articulated unisson”. This has to do with my quite recent concern of the idea of velocity in music. Mostly contemporary music is or fast and “rock”-like or “refined” (in sound-colours) but static (or slow). My purpose was to make something that includes both elements. The third section is extremely slow (maybe a huge breath?) and mainly deals with “special” timbres. The end is very short and incredibly fast, and finally the Bass Drum concludes the piece alone, like he started.

Luc Brewaeys