Neko

(2009)

Composer Jeppe Just Christensen

Instrumentation 2 double flexatones and piano

Category 2-6 Instruments

Publication year 2017

Catalogue no. C.1328

Duration 10 minutes

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Score Follower

The piece was written in 2009 for two “double-flexatones” (see descriptions in the score) and piano.

The name of the piece Neko is Japanese for cat. The only reason for the title is that when I wrote the piece I met a composer who talked about what animals are called in different languages, and also that the sounds the animals make are different. Of course they are not, but if you read children’s books the sound of the pig is for instance “oink“ in English and “øf“ in danish. The sound the cat makes is “miau“ in Danish and “niau“ in Japanese. It is quite interesting to look into these sounds and some people have made entire lists of comparisons.

Neko is in 3 movements, and all three movements are actually the same length. I have “translated“ the motifs from the first movement into chords in the second and then into melodies in the third. All with the same length. The two flexatones actually also play the same lines and melodies. One is playing “forward“ and the other “backwards“. But there are also other things going on – the piece is very structural and organized.

The general structure of the work is:

Flexatone 1 (starts with motif 1) Flexatone (starts with motif 13) And then there are other motifs, that in some way “destroy“ the system, so that it is not so obvious.

J.J.C

Motifs:

1

1-2

1-2-3

1-2-3-4

1-2-3-4-5

1-2-3-4-5-6

1-2-3-4-5-6-7

2-3-4-5-6-7-8

3-4-5-6-7-8-9

4-5-6-7-8-9-10

5-6-7-8-9-10-11

6-7-8-9-10-11-12

7-8-9-10-11-12-13

8-9-10-11-12-13

9-10-11-12-13

10-11-12-13

11-12-13

12-13

13

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