Zenit

Rozalie Hirs

Zenit has been performed in ’s-Hertogenbosch, Aarau, Huddersfield, Kortrijk, Montréal and Tilburg…

Zenit (2010) consists of four movements, [north], [east], [south], [west], investigating the overtone realm of the string quartet in different ways. It is scored for a relatively high register of the string instruments with a quick highly energetic bowing technique, resulting in a continuum between timbre, tone color and harmony, pitch.

In [north] each of its twenty constituent chords are articulated in a distinctly different way, the rests can be regarded as inhabited by inaudible harmonic progressions. In the [east] movement, clouds of tones are separated by shorter silences. In [south] the possibilities of harmonic rhythm are investigated in one continuous movement. In [west] a delicate web of harmonics is spun, and then unraveled by glissandi of harmonics like light falling onto the audience.

The order of the movements may be changed while considering the relative placement of the hometown of the composer, Amsterdam, with respect to the performance location. For example, Amsterdam is located northeast from Los Angeles or New York, thus the performance order is as mentioned when performed in those cities. In Moscow, for example, the performers might prefer the following order: [south], [west], [north], [east].

Premiere

  • May 1, 2010, Les espaces acoustiques and beyond: new music after Gérard Grisey, REDCAT, Los Angeles (California, USA)

Zenit

  • Composer(s): Rozalie Hirs
  • Year of composition: 2010
  • Duration: 22:00
  • Instrumentation: string quartet
  • Commission: Formalist Quartet with support from the Netherlands Performing Arts Fund
Movements
Concerts
18 Octo 2011
HirsMillerOesterleVivier
In person
Tilburg (Netherlands)
11 Nove 2011
12:30 pm
HirsJanssensOh
In person
’s-Hertogenbosch (Netherlands)
20 Nove 2011
2:00 pm
GloverHirsWeeks
In person
Huddersfield (England, UK)
29 Nove 2011
8:00 pm
Série QB
AdriaanszHirsJanssensOh
In person
Montréal (Québec)
16 Sept 2012
3:00 pm
BeugerHirs
In person
Aarau (Switzerland)
24 Apri 2016
10:30 am
Hirs
In person
Kortrijk (Belgium)