The Pridonoff Duo
Elisabeth Pridonoff, piano
Eugene Pridonoff, piano

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Cascade—for Two Pianos

1. Yearning, Strained, Exhaustedly Expressive
2. Spinning
3. Lentissimo, Frozen, Isolated. Desperate yet beautiful, Simple, Connected

Lumen (2013)—for cello and piano

The third movement from my second symphony CASCADE-Concerto for Orchestra

Douglas Knehans—Concertos

Torrent

The second movement of my second symphony CASCADE-Concerto for Orchestra

CONCERTOS

Wave

The first movement of my second Symphony CASCADE-Concerto for Orchestra

Drift Echo

The exciting third movement of my flute concerto TEMPEST

Knehans—Unfinished Earth

Tempest-Concerto for Flute & Orchestra—3. Etesian

The second movement of my flute concerto, TEMPEST

Tempest-Concerto for Flute & Orchestra—2. Mistral… Funerailles

Tempest-Concerto for Flute & Orchestra—1. Ostro

Boyd Panels (2002)—1: Meditation at Pulpit Rock

Boyd Panels (2002)—2: Crucifixion and Rose

Boyd Panels (2002)—3: Shoalhaven Light, Late Afternoon

Boyd Panels (2002)—4: The Magic Fish

Boyd Panels (2002)—5: Black River

The Pridonoff Duo
Elisabeth Pridonoff, piano
Eugene Pridonoff, piano

Cascade (2010)—1: Drift Echo

Cascade (2010)—2: Wave

Cascade (2010)—3: Torrent

Rive (2002)—for violin, clarinet and piano

Ripple (2002) For Orchestra

These two works represent different views of how the external metaphors of wind and earth may be shaped to reflect the more intimate internal worlds of the human heart and mind.

Tempest, my flute concerto, was shaped by the thought of wind—such an essential element to the flute and flute playing—and how, in the natural world, this courses across the planet in different ways from benign to hostile. The three movements reflect different wind patterns found around the globe and served as a departure point for a three movement work cast in a quasi-classical frame of fast-slow-fast structure. Each movement engages a message, I hope, beyond mere tone painting, to reflect deeper aspects of the human condition, the human experience, thought, reflection, psychology and emotion.

Unfinished Earth is a longer and deeper work, again cast in three movements, and delving into the constant degradation and reformation of earth and sea. Just as the earth slowly changes and evolves, we ourselves are constantly evolving through the deepening of our life experience, the processing of life’s joys and tragedies, and the inner passage of our turmoils and triumphs. Tendering, the first movement, is about the formation of earth and the molten rock that is risen from the subterranean earthen smelter to become land. For me, this is a movement about becoming, and through such becoming, firming in our senses of self, just as earth does as it becomes land. Eternal Ocean, the second movement, evokes the shifting currents of deep ocean, again, as a metaphor for the unfocussed and at times even conflicting currents of the inner emotional worlds of the human experience. The final movement Tearing Drift is again a work with multivalent meanings: some referring to the ripping apart or fractures in the earth’s surface as might happen in an earthquake perhaps; to the alternative meaning of the first word of the title not as being torn but as crying. This notion of an earth cry or deep subterranean swell of grief was a central image and intent of this movement. The strident wind and brass microtonal peals and screams against the strong percussive thrust of this movement was intended to reflect such an earth cry—or even the Munchian silent scream of isolated man.

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Unfinished Earth-for Orchestra—3. Tearing Drift

Unfinished Earth-for Orchestra—2. Eternal Ocean

Unfinished Earth-for Orchestra—1. Tempering

Tempest-Concerto for Flute and Orchestra—3. Etesian

Douglas Knehans is an American/Australian composer of orchestral, chamber, choral and electronic music as well as works for stage, film and television.
http://www.douglasknehans.com/


Douglas Knehans

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