Fantasy for 4 Violas, op. 5

composed July 1979 - September 1980, Graz/Vienna

The Fantasy consists of three parts: canon, sonata and variations, each of which is driven by slightly different conditions. In essence the piece consists of two altered structures distinguishable from one other, the first approaches the twelve-tone technique, the other a quartal motive. A form is determined which one would preferable compare to a traditional fugue, if one reversed their parts, i.e. the Fantasy beginns with a stretto and is followed by diverse developments and the clearest, simplest, structure allows the piece finally to fade away.

In the canon two simultaneously employed metrical patterns are adequate for both fundamental structures (in equally running eighth-note tempos). The 2nd and 3rd violas play the quasi-dodecaphonic motive in canon, while the 1st and 4th violas play the quartal second canon (4/4 measure for the 2nd and 3rd violas, 6/8 measures for the 1st and 4th violas). The listener will now in the first "large measure" through an arbitrarily chosen fictional stretto and stumble into the middle of chaos. Nevertheless in measure 3 the event almost lures one - the 4/4 canon determines the form, the 6/8 canon accompanies - in measure 8 the 6/8 canon dominates, already in measure 6 it has become more and more important. In stubborn circles the two canons unite to a sixteenth-note movement, against which the different accents are set, and both violas are not allowed to stop.

In the sonata both structures are enriched to two themes, in the exposition (measures 22-35) by both the 1st and 2nd violas simultaneously - accompanied by the 3rd and 4th. A short introduction (measures 36-40) leads to the first part of the development (measures 41-63) which treats both strucutral elements. In the second part the development (measures 64 - 124) a reprise of the quartal motive is included (in augmentation from measure 79, 1st viola). The reprise of the semi-dodecaphonic motive merges with measure 125 and continues in a development-like stringendo until the coda (measure 125), which finally unites all four violas (like in the canon) to a common movement. However, this time the triplet movement, without accent transpositions, is fully parallel and with a unison final pizzicato.

The primary idea is formulated again in the variations. Accompanied by the 2nd, 3rd and 4th violas the 1st viola plays the varied semi-dodecaphonic motive (4/4) and afterwards the varied quartal motive. The 1st variation brings 54 different rhythmical structures together at the same time, until measure 203 for the semi-dodecaphonic, and after measure 204 for the quartal motive. The 2nd variation consists of different rhythmisations of 5/8 measures, which the second part (measure 223 - 225 and 236 - 250) clearly defines. In the 3rd variation the quartal motive is disporportionately varied (from measure 257). Both opposed and united in different chords the fourt violas play the 4th variation, which then leads directly into the coda, in which (measure 300) the semi-dodecaphonic theme is elevated and the quartal motive is valid only as an insertion. This coda ebbs away at the end in a (dissonant) chord.

Because of the complex structure of the piece, this fantasy absolutely requires a conductor.

The piece lasts c. 10 minutes.

Translation: Michael Ingham