ECEMF are delighted to be able to announce the results of our Passamezzo Nuevo competition, for best new piece for Baroque strings!
Judges Maya Homburger and Barry Guy have picked a winner, and it’s “Passacaglia Apis” by Justin Grounds. A special mention was also given to two other compositions, “Corkamesca” by Jerome de Bromhead and “Pitched Battle” by Seán Doherty. “Passacaglia Apis” will be played by Elizabeth Wallfisch and Cork Baroque Orchestra at the Festival on Friday, October 10th.
ECEMF would like to congratulate Justin Grounds, Jerome de Bromhead and Seán Doherty, and to thank all the composers for their entries.
..and here’s what the judges said:
Justin Grounds “Passacaglia Apis”
Within the composition’s minimalist musical aesthetic, the composer achieves an almost rhapsodic arch of movement from the spare beginning until the “quasi recitative” towards the end. His understanding of the violin scordatura provides a colourful, resonant and harmonically interesting play against the modal backdrop. The orchestration is daringly minimal, but nevertheless, to use an architectural metaphor, he takes us on a journey from the foundations up to the eaves, all the while developing the colours and articulations of the solo violin. Despite the almost “ancient” feel to the music, it delivers a picture free of baroque pastiche.
Having chosen Justin Grounds’ piece as the winning composition, we would like to express our thanks also to the other composers who sent in fascinating scenarios for the baroque orchestra. We were particularly impressed with Jerome de Bromhead’s “Corkamesca” and “Pitched Battle” by Seán Doherty. They both found their own original ways of composing for the baroque instruments and developing unusual counterpoints and polyphonic structures. Their intellectual approach and highly interesting programme notes were impressive and it was not easy to reach a final decision. Our choice is based naturally on personal taste and the emotional impact which was felt most with the “Passacaglia Apis”.
Maya Homburger and Barry Guy
