L'appel du Vide

Bradley Fletcher

25 views

Small Ensemble

2022

13 min.

Alto

Bass

Brass

Cello

Fixed Media Audio

Flute

Horn

Keyboards

Other

Percussion

Piano

Pitched Percussion

Soprano

Strings, bowed

Tenor

Unpitched Percussion

Voices

Winds

Program Notes: L’appel du Vide (french for Call of the Void) is a term for a phenomena in which you get a sudden urge to throw yourself into harm’s way, without any present suicidal ideation. The usual given examples are a sudden urge to drive into oncoming traffic, or wondering what it would be like to jump off the edge of a tall cliff. In this work I have chosen to juxtapose this occurrence with two other meditations on death. First of all this work makes use of the stations of the cross. While they are manipulated to suit the music, the overall progression of the stations are intact. Secondly, this work is a meditation on the nature of suicidal ideation. I intend this work as not a sacred or secular work, but rather as one which draws from both and imparts some meaning to the listener. And ultimately, this work is dedicated to some dear friends of mine who have to fight suicidal ideations. This work demonstrates my flurry of extreme emotions, from despair that they have to fight at their core being to live, to the extreme gratefulness I have that they are still living, and that I can be there for them in some small way. Writing this piece was the best, and perhaps the only, way I had of demonstrating all of these feelings.
Recording Notes: Performed on CMU Graduate Composers Concert Spring 2023
Ensemble Name: Names on link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4wGJqCjJRg&t=262s