Postcards from Veneto
Score
For violin, cello, Bb clarinet/bass clarinet and piano
In four movements
I. Quiet Arches
II. Light Mosaic from a Stained Glass
III. Sagra
IV. Isola
Duration-approx. 12-13'
Throughout my childhood, I would spend many of my summers in the region of Veneto, in Northern Italy. There I would visit my relatives and friends and be immersed in a different world and culture. There are many faces, images and landscapes emblazoned in my memory. From the rustic Italian countryside, to the historic and ancient city centers in each town, to the architecture, several hundred years old, vestiges of a time long gone, yet the memory still remains in stone form. Each of these pieces serve as an impression of hazy, black-and-white memories of childhood in Italy. They include the loving faces of my grandmother, aunts and uncles, Isola Della Scala (the town where they lived), and the scenic backdrop of the Italian tableau that contains each of these memories.
Now, many years later, I have had a few chances to revisit Italy and while the towns and people seem to remain unchanged, something does feel changed. Now as an adult, I can still appreciate the beauty of these things, but upon returning to a place after many years,
one finds that the changes in themselves reflect the changes in how we see and experience familiar places. The title of this piece, Postcards from Veneto, is kind of a tongue-in-cheek reference to my childhood memories of Italy. Like a postcard, these memories are vibrant and full of life, yet distant and far away.
The final movement of this piece, Isola, named after Isola Della Scala, is dedicated to the memory of my grandmother. It is a simple and elegant piece of music, much like I remember how she was.