May Chaconne is dedicated to my late mother, who died suddenly from multiple glioblastoma brain tumours in February of 2023.
The composition is constructed from a basic idea containing only small cells that take a short and often seemingly quixotic journey in search of something new, but at the same time also something old and distant.
However, every time the small cells discovers a new clue, they reveal a more complex and kaleidoscopic condition. At some point, May wonders if all the strange things that have happened to her are simply a product of her imagination?
I was struck by this notion, the idea of someone or something invisible digging deeper and deeper, only to find more depth and incredible human strength.
The tessitura and harmonies of the work start simply and expand very gradually, revealing a path that at first traces slowly inward, and then, when it cannot go any further inside itself, soars with reckless abandonment, exploring the enormous range of the violin.
Several performances of this piece have been given by Mark Menzies and this is a video of his performance at the Ron Ball Studio in Christchurch, Aoeatora.
The audio and video was recorded and produced by Hunter Craig.