I have dubbed today's
Noontime concert a "Moonlight Recital" with a variety of pieces celebrating the
nighttime.
Kelly-Marie Murphy's Star Burning Blue (2000), a single-movement
work, roughly depicts the life cycle of a main sequence, supergiant star. The form of the piece is ternary (ABA), and
in the opening A section, the listener can hear the industry of a massive star
gathering more and more matter into itself, shining brighter and brighter. The music of this section is driving and
industrial, as the star approaches its inevitable stellar explosion. The supernova marks the end of the opening A
section, and the B section appears as peaceful and sublime-ironic as this
floating slowness is the direct result of the star's violent destruction. The listener hears scraps of music (bits of
the exploded star) drifting freely through open space. Finally, the mutual attraction of the pieces
of matter overrides their separate existence, and they begin to coalesce
leading back into the industrial drive of the final A section. The same raw power of the opening A section
dominates the closing, where another star begins to form and the cycle begins anew. Star Burning Blue was commissioned by the
Esther Honens International Piano Competition for Maxim Philippov; first laureate
of the 1996 competition. Contemporary
Canadian composer Kelly-Marie Murphy was born in Sardegna, Italy and grew up on Armed Forces bases across Canada. She began her studies in composition at the University of Calgary and later received a Ph.D. in composition from the University of Leeds
in England. After living and working for many years in the Washington D.C. area, she is now based in Ottawa. Oni Buchanan
Classical Music | Piano Music
Kelly-Marie Murphy
Star Burning Blue Play
Recorded on 11/13/2007, uploaded on 01/23/2009
Musician's or Publisher's Notes
I have dubbed today's Noontime concert a "Moonlight Recital" with a variety of pieces celebrating the nighttime.
Kelly-Marie Murphy's Star Burning Blue (2000), a single-movement work, roughly depicts the life cycle of a main sequence, supergiant star. The form of the piece is ternary (ABA), and in the opening A section, the listener can hear the industry of a massive star gathering more and more matter into itself, shining brighter and brighter. The music of this section is driving and industrial, as the star approaches its inevitable stellar explosion. The supernova marks the end of the opening A section, and the B section appears as peaceful and sublime-ironic as this floating slowness is the direct result of the star's violent destruction. The listener hears scraps of music (bits of the exploded star) drifting freely through open space. Finally, the mutual attraction of the pieces of matter overrides their separate existence, and they begin to coalesce leading back into the industrial drive of the final A section. The same raw power of the opening A section dominates the closing, where another star begins to form and the cycle begins anew. Star Burning Blue was commissioned by the Esther Honens International Piano Competition for Maxim Philippov; first laureate of the 1996 competition. Contemporary Canadian composer Kelly-Marie Murphy was born in Sardegna, Italy and grew up on Armed Forces bases across Canada. She began her studies in composition at the University of Calgary and later received a Ph.D. in composition from the University of Leeds in England. After living and working for many years in the Washington D.C. area, she is now based in Ottawa. Oni Buchanan
More music by Kelly-Marie Murphy
Give Me Phoenix Wings to Fly
Performances by same musician(s)
Sonata No. 14 in c-sharp minor, Moonlight
Nocturne, Op. 33
Nocturne in e-flat minor, Op. 33, No. 1
Classical Music for the Internet Era™
Courtesy of International Music Foundation.