Signals

oboe, flute, violin, cello, 2 guitars
Signals was written at the request of a New York group of musicians, the Cygnus ensemble.
Published by Donemus
image for Signals

Signals is a composition that tries to deal with communication. For of course it is communication that makes music take or lose its meaning.

In this work six different instruments send signals to one another, thus trying to communicate.
A clear example of such a signal is heard in the oboe-part at the beginning of the compostion. This sound is present during the entire work and is meant as a beacon to the ears of the listener.
Meanwhile, the flute also makes its own mark; a bird-call-like figure that returns in various places, as do the glissandi of violin and cello. The guitars have their light-coloured flageolets, and in the meantime everybody tries to imitate everybody else. In short, all instruments interact continuously during the work. And in the end there is of course also the composer, trying to communicate with you, the listener.