Dempster, Kenneth (2005) Six feet of blood. [Composition]

Abstract/Description

The work is based on the poem, 'So many make one' by Norman MacCaig. The poem expresses the development, as well as the passing, of the many different stages in our lives; and by employing a technique of continually recurring musical material, Kenneth has created a sequence of contrasting musical sections, many of which restate or develop previously heard ideas, but continually in a new or changing context. The work has a diverse mode of expression reflecting not only Kenneth’s broad musical taste but also the eclectic nature of the performing group itself.

Cast in a tripartite structure (slow/fast/slow), Six Feet of Blood draws on music that has played a crucial role in the shaping of Kenneth’s musical personality. As the work moves towards its conclusion, sentiment begins to exert its own particular and powerful influence, reshaping and redefining what was previously heard, yet also allowing for the arrival of new material to play a significant part in the work’s closing stages.

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