Abstract
The Autumn Song (2009; for cello (or flute) and guitar; 7 mins). Commissioned by Natalie Clein and Xuefei Yang First performance, Macau Festival, Macau, China, 13th October 2009. UK premiere, Wigmore Hall, London, 3rd February 2010 Programme note The Autumn Song is based on the various ancient Chinese poems and stories about the parting of lovers. A forced separation due to the male partner having to go and serve in the building or guarding of the Great Wall of China. The music evokes the melancholic character of loss – in particular, that quality of ambiguity caused by the fact that neither partner knows if the loss is temporary or permanent. Performance notes In the Senza misura sections, the cello and guitar are almost entirely independent; the only verical coincidences are marked with a dotted line. Both parts are extremely free. Accidentals – In the metrically free sections accidentals apply until the next dotted bar line, and only in the octave specified. Courtesy accidentals have been liberally supplied for the sake of clarity. Nearly all the guitar writing in the piece is based on sonorities held across many strings. The duration of the held chord shapes is often notated with extended beams. The Autumn Song is also available in versions for flute and guitar, cello and piano, and flute and piano. For a recent biography of Stephen Goss (b. 1964), together with news of compositions, recordings, publications and performances, please visit www.stephengoss.net and www.cadenza-music.com.