rory murphy

composer


放 - Fàng

2016
7’
work in ink and watercolour for cor anglais, violin, violoncello, harp, and piano

the music starts with conventional notation, becomes fluid in undulating modal forms, and finally breaks free from the staff where watercolour introduces gradation of hue

inspired by traditional Chinese calligraphy; in creating the modal shapes digitally, the calligraphic sense of discipline is exaggerated while its organic nature is tempered. after the release, this is reversed; the semiotic structure is discarded and intuition reigns in painting.

放 (Fàng) is the hànzì for ‘to release’ or ‘to liberate’, but also ‘to play’ (a sound recording)