Edwards, Ross : Five Little Piano Pieces
Work Overview
Publication Year:1977
First Publisher:Faber Music
Dedicated to:Enid Rowe
Instrumentation:Piano Solo
Genre:pieces
Total Playing Time:5 min 00 sec
Copyright:Under Copyright Protection
Commentary (1)
Author : Iida, Arisa
Last Updated: September 1, 2007
[Open]
Author : Iida, Arisa
Composed at the request of Enid Lowy, a piano teacher and music therapist in Sydney. It was premiered by Lowy's students at a concert in Sydney in 1976.
According to the composer's explanation, this work is based on pentatonic scales found in various countries, such as the Japanese Hirajōshi and Indonesian Pelog. It was written for piano study and features changing meters, irregular phrases, and detailed pedaling instructions. However, all these elements require musical judgment and intuition. Edward further states that the melodic charm of this work must be fully brought out, that it is suitable for concert performance, and that it is worthy of dedicated practice.
The first movement corresponds to the Japanese Hirajōshi mentioned by the composer. Indeed, the musical style itself feels strongly influenced by Japanese koto music. Although it is a work from the 1970s, the creation of such a piece during this period might be considered a natural progression in the history of Japan-Australia exchange. While it may resonate with listeners as a kind of 'Orientalist' work, its context can be recognized as a cross-Pacific composition.