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Brumby: Chiaroscuro (2nd movement)
The Australian composer, Colin Brumby, composed Chiaroscuro in 1977 for piano, clarinet and cello. The title chiaroscuro, is derived from the Italian word for bright and dark. It refers to contrast between the effects of light and dark elements in painting.
The second movement of this work is reminiscent of Satie's Gymnopédie. It has three sections.
The first section reflects a mood and atmosphere reminiscent of the Gymnopédie. The melody uses an Asian scale based on the notes E F A B C.
The second section is introduced by a descending passage played by the clarinet and cello. Mood, tonality and rhythm are in direct contrast to the first section. It is darker and more chaotic with complex rhythmic movement. The pitch material is based on the 12-tone system and devices such as inversion and retrograde are used.
The return of the first section is indicated by an ascending passage again played by clarinet followed by cello. The two main melodies of the A section are played in reverse order in this repeated section
Listen to the second movement of Chiaroscuro,paying particular attention to the treatment of melody and harmony.
Recordings of Chiaroscuro by Colin Brumby are available from the Australian Music Centre.
Listening activity
Refer to the four works studied in this tutorial. Make a list of similarities and differences between the treatment of melody and harmony in each work.
| Work | Similarities | Differences |
|---|---|---|
| Satie | ||
| Blood, Sweat & Tears | ||
| Jacques Loussier | ||
| Brumby |
|