Spiral (Norman)

Spiral is a 2018 composition for orchestra by the American composer Andrew Norman. The work was premiered on July 14, 2018 by the Berlin Philharmonic, conducted by Sir Simon Rattle, and was commissioned for one of Sir Simon's last concerts with the orchestra. The piece is scored for a large orchestra and is about five minutes long.

Spiral
by Andrew Norman
PeriodContemporary
Composed2018
Durationc. 5 minutes
ScoringOrchestra
Premiere
DateJuly 14, 2018 (2018-07-14)
LocationBerliner Philharmonie
ConductorSimon Rattle
PerformersBerlin Philharmonic

Commission and premiere

Spiral was commissioned by the Berlin Philharmonic Foundation to celebrate Sir Simon Rattle's final season with the orchestra.[1][2] It was part of their "tapas" series of short commissions, intended as an introduction to contemporary music.[3] The work received its premiere on July 14, 2018 in the Berliner Philharmonie, performed by the Berlin Philharmonic and Simon Rattle.[1]

Composition

Spiral is a short orchestral piece, lasting about five minutes.[4] Norman has described it as "a short piece that traces the transformations of a small number of instrumental gestures as they orbit each other in ever-contracting circles".[5]

The piece's title is a reference to its form, which presents the same thematic material in cycles that become faster as the piece continues.[6] Norman has said that he had been considering the idea of a "spiral-shaped" orchestral piece for some time;[1] his later piece Sustain employs a similar structure, on a larger scale.[7]

Norman has also said that certain ideas in the piece were directly inspired by his experiences with Sir Simon and the Berlin Philharmonic. In particular, he cites their "precision" and "unique physical energy".[1]

Instrumentation

The piece is scored for the following orchestra:[8]

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References
  1. "EAM: World Premiere of Andrew Norman's Spiral with the Berlin Philharmonic". www.eamdc.com. Retrieved 2020-08-09.
  2. "Krystian Zimerman and Simon Rattle perform Bernstein's "The Age of Anxiety"". Digital Concert Hall. Retrieved 2020-08-09.
  3. "Work of the week – Andrew Norman: Spiral". Schott Music (EN). 2018-06-11. Retrieved 2020-08-12.
  4. "Spiral". Andrew Norman Music. Retrieved 2020-08-09.
  5. "Andrew Norman: Spiral (Prom 12)". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2020-08-09.
  6. "ANDREW NORMAN: Spiral". Utah Symphony. 2019-12-02. Retrieved 2020-08-09.
  7. "Sustain". Andrew Norman Music. Retrieved 2020-08-09.
  8. Norman, Andrew. "Spiral". Schott Music. Retrieved 2020-08-09.
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