Folding stars and other love songs

Flute and Harp

Programme Note

Folding Stars and other love songs can be seen as a short love song from the point of view of one person (the tuneful flute line), from the other (the falling, folding harp part), or even both. The piece tries to capture that immediate moment of infatuation when you first cross eyes with a new love, be it platonic or erotic, and the amount of thoughts that rush through ones head in that singular, suspended moment. It can equally represent a lifetime of a relationship and a long standing love, with its twists and turns and unpredictability. The piece also borrows from more conventional love songs in the ‘pop’ music genre, where a lot is expressed over a short amount of time, and where a strophic structure (which is almost the case in Folding Stars). The other love songs are all embedded within this 3 minute exploration, which can be seen as one whole piece, or a combination of smaller pieces/moments sewn together.

Folding Stars and other love songs was premiered by Claire Wickes (flute) and Tomos Xerri (harp), on 16/3/2017 at 1901 Arts Club, London, as part of the Hattori Foundation’s Rush Hour concert series. The piece is dedicated, with much love, to Tomos and his partner, Aaron, on the occasion of their upcoming wedding. I wish them a long and happy marriage and hope these little sort-of-love songs have captured the love you share.

Liam Mattison (London, March 2017)