Program notes for “…Un ser con unas alas enormes…” (1996) for violin and tape

“…Un ser con unas alas enormes…” which translates as “… a being with enormous wings…”, was inspired by the 17th Freeman Etude for violin by John Cage. Within the hectic gestures that are a major part of this etude are passages reminiscent of cuban rhythms. An important idea for Cage is that human beings can be better themselves by overcoming their limitations. This piece translates that spirit; humans improve through the use of their imagination. The title is also related to the literary work by Gabriel Garcia Marquez: ” un hombre muy viejo con unas alas muy grandes”.

The tape part, as my departure of style, is fragmentary, and contains  processed excerpts from the Freeman Etude. The piece also includes  some concepts of silence that are present in non-Western music. The use of silence as a conscious part of the piece yet again reflects back to Cage.