Vanishing Points

Vanishing Points for Horn and Piano was commissioned and premiered by Kate Caliendo.  Kate introduced me to her favorite painter, Giorgio de Chirico.  She said she loved his use of multiple vanishing points in a single painting.  While writing this piece, I wanted to exploit Kate's affinity for low horn, as well as challenging her high playing, and well, everything in between!

Each movement's title is based on something to do with de Chrico. 
​
1. Shadows and Light - The horn plays inside of the piano causing the piano strings to vibrate.
2. Bleeding through - The piano sounds turn into the horn, bleeding through from one to the other. 
3. Mystery and Melancholy - Horn extended techniques explore multiple colors of the horn. 
4. Blind Visions - "When I close my eyes, my vision is even more powerful" - de Chirico
5. Surreal Silence - The motif swirls around and around letting the piano engulf. 
6. Fast and Pointy - Like a paintbrush splattering the paint all over, when you step back, it's beautiful. 

---

Premier performance video of Kate Caliendo and Ben Krause.

For inquiries about performance materials, Click Here