SUITE (2014-2018) for ensemble
- First movement Ouverture was commissioned by ensemble recherche and the Ernst von Siemens Musikstiftung.
- First performed by ensemble recherche at the Witold Lutosławski Polish Radio Concert Studio, Warsaw, 22.09.18, during Warsaw Autumn.
- Instrumentation: 1.1.1.0 / 0.0.0.0 / perc (1) / pno / 1.0.1.1.0.
- Duration: ca. 24:00
SUITE is in five movements:
- I. Ouverture (2016) for ensemble, 10:00
- II. Air I (2014-2015) for piccolo and strings, 8:00
- III. Gigue (2018) for percussion and winds, 2:30
- IV. Air II (2014-2015) for piccolo and strings, 0:50
- V. Réjouissance (2018) for ensemble, 0:01
Ouverture, Air I & II, and Gigue can be performed individually. Réjouissance can potentially also be performed as an appendix to Ouverture.
about SUITE:
Peter Johannes Erichsen, Weekendavisen, January 15th 2021
“The impression of satanic tiptoeing is present all the time.“
Henrik Friis, Politiken, November 5th 2020:
“[SUITE] is related to [Gravgaard’s] double concerto, which the Danish National Symphony Orchestra premiered last year, where everything grows out of a very long series of repetitions of a single note. Where the intensity increases and increases, while the movements get shorter and shorter. This gave a unique, dramatic form.”
Mads Hæsum Christensen, Seismograf.org, November 4th 2020:
“[SUITE] exists in the extreme registers on the traditional instruments. It was both interesting, fragile and well-sounding …”
Thomas Michelsen, Politiken, June 4th 2020:
“[Gravgaard Madsen] shows just how brilliant he is, when he creates music based on Bach’s 18th century material.”
Simon Cummings, 5:4, November 19th 2019:
“I’m still trying to decide whether Allan Gravgaard Madsen‘s SUITE was simply the wrong piece of music at the wrong time or just a poor piece of music full stop.”
Polish Music Information Centre and Warszawska Jesień / Warsaw Autumn included SUITE in a 10 CD-box set with recordings from the 2018-edition of the festival, where ensemble recherche premiered the piece.