(Song of Songs, chapter VII —שיר השירים פרק ז)
for Voice and Guitar
6 pp. $8.95. Presser Order number 494-02729 (DTMO-9)
The composer says:
A substantial part of my music is based on free-flowing, melismatic vocal
polyphony; I do not know where this language exactly comes from, but it has
developed through the years into a very concrete musical world. My rendition of
Shuvi, Shuvi Hashulamite from Solomon’s Canticle of Canticles certainly
partakes of that world. Ever since I first read this extraordinary poetry, I’ve
been struck by its intrinsic beauty and passion. Allegorical interpretations and
cantorial traditional performances notwithstanding, I have chosen the very
spirit of the poetry to be the guiding force in creating the composition.
Although I have some rudimentary knowledge of the language, I had to pay special
attention to the idiosyncrasies of the Biblical Hebrew. I would therefore like
to thank my friend Nadav Eldar for his initial clarification of the text—as well
as Joseph Urshalmi for his help. Finally, I am especially grateful to Matanya
Ophee for his willingness to undertake the publishing of the song with so much
enthusiasm, expertise and care.
DuŠan
Bogdanovic was born in Yugoslavia in 1955. He completed his studies of
composition and orchestration at the Geneva Conservatory with P. Wissmer and A.
Ginastera and in guitar performance with M. L. São Marcos. Early in his career,
he received the only First Prize at the Geneva Competition and gave a highly
acclaimed debut recital in Carnegie Hall in 1977. He has taught at the Geneva
Conservatory and the University of Southern California and is presently engaged
by the San Francisco Conservatory. His theoretical work for guitar, at Berbèn
Editions, includes Polyrhythmic and Polymetric Studies, as well as a bilingual
publication covering three-voice counterpoint and Renaissance improvisation
with a structural analysis of motivic metamorphoses in composition and
improvisation. A richly gifted composer, improviser and guitarist, DuŠan
Bogdanovic has explored musical languages that are reflected in his style
today—a unique synthesis of classical, jazz and ethnic music. As a soloist and
in collaboration with other artists, Bogdanovic´ has toured extensively
throughout Europe, Asia and the United States. His performing and recording
activities include work with chamber groups of diverse stylistic orientations
including The Falla Guitar Trio and jazz collaborations with James Newton,
Milcho Leviev, Charlie Haden, Miroslav Tadic, Mark Nauseef, Anthony Cox and
others. He has over fifty published compositions ranging from guitar and piano
solo works to chamber and orchestral ensembles (Berbèn, GSP, Doberman-Yppan,
Editions Orphée et al.), as well as close to twenty recordings ranging from Bach
Trio Sonatas to contemporary works (Intuition, GSP, Doberman-Yppan, M.A.
Recordings et al.). Among his most recent commissions are a ballet- poeme Crow,
premiered by the Pacific Dance Company at the Los Angeles Theater Center; Sevdalinka, written for the Newman- Oltman Guitar Duo with the Turtle Island
Quartet, premiered at Merkin Hall, New York; Canticles, composed for the
Gruber-Maklar duo; a mix media piece To Where Does The One Return for sixteen
ceramic gongs in collaboration with sculptor Stephen Freedman, premiered in
Hilo, Hawaii; Games, commissioned by the BluePrint Festival and dedicated to
David Tanenbaum and Nicole Paiement; Byzantine Theme and Variations premiered by
James Smith with the Armadillo String Quartet, as well as works written for
pianist Fabio Luz and numerous solo guitar compositions written for Alvaro Pierri, David Starobin, William Kanengiser, Scott Tennant, Eduardo Isaac, James
Smith and others.
Copyright © 2005 by Editions Orphée, Inc. All Rights Reserved.