Veda Hingert-McDonald - Ainsi le crépuscule

Ainsi le crépuscule (Thus the Dusk) is inspired by my research on Henri Dutilleux’s manipulation of memory in his string quartet, Ainsi la nuit (Thus the Night). Rather than presenting themes to be developed, Dutilleux provides motivic cells to be kaleidoscopically transformed in ways that are at times recognizable by ear, and at times recognizable only to the unconscious mind. This non-linear layering of referential material creates a sense of “auditory déjà vu,” as my teacher calls it. I sought with Ainsi le crépuscule to pay homage to one of my favourite string quartets ever written by borrowing from Dutilleux’s harmonic language, and explore referentiality and memory in my own work. Dawn and dusk are transitionary periods between day and night, and this is crepuscular music: fragments of transitional material evocative of dawn and dusk and referencing musical material that is never heard.