Philip's Peace

Elaine Agnew represents the revitalization of Irish classical music and is one of her country’s most promising young composers. Born in Kilwaughter, Agnew studied music at Queen’s University (Belfast) and the Royal Scottish Academy. Her works have been performed around the world, and several major appearances have occurred in connection with the BBC and the EU’s Chamber Orchestra. To date she has produced nearly 50 compositions during her short, fifteen-year career. Current commissions include a piece for the National Chamber Choir of Ireland and a request from the Vogler Quartet. Agnew provides this description of Philip’s Peace:

"I was commissioned by the Belfast Music Society to write this piece shortly after the birth of my nephew, Philip Gerard Clements, in February 1993 and immediately decided to dedicate the new work to him. This created two ideas in my mind: throughout the piece, the pulse stays constant but within that [basic pulse] there are different rhythmic groupings and styles. The other idea is that of an initial theme which undergoes change and development. The opening theme and first section is based on four pitches which have a distinctive intervallic structure. The introduction of a long F piano pedal presents a new slower section before a simple repetitive quaver [i.e., eighth-note] figure gradually develops into a melodic cello line. The F piano pedal takes us back through previous material before recapping on the opening of the piece."

(c) Jason Stell and Elaine Agnew