Rattlesnake | for Solo Classical Guitar
Duration: 7 Minutes
Winner of the Matthew Marshall Prize for Classical Guitar Composition 2021
3rd Place Winner of the NZSM Composers Competition 2021
Best Performance of a New Zealand Classical Guitar Work, 2022 New Zealand Classical Guitar Competition
Premiered by Sirisan Sobhanasiri at the NZSM Composers Competition 2021
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Rattlesnake was written to capture the mannerisms and physicality of a rattlesnake in musical form; beginning with a winding, unpredictable melody that weaves between octaves and timbres freely. Throughout the work a steady ethereal pulse transforms into something more fearsome, foretelling the danger ahead. As the piece develops, a furious, jagged atmosphere forms and builds to a climax imagining the moment when the rattlesnake strikes - and as the prey slowly dies, the music fades until all that can be heard is the rattle of the rattlesnake.
Dedicated to my good friend Sirisan Sobhanasiri; a truly skilled guitarist who I could not have written this piece without.
Recordings:
