Ricardo Odriozola - Two Pieces for Solo Violin (2006)
(b. Bilbao, 28 September 1965)
1 - Zazpi Kaleak SUnrise
2 - Los Extraterrestres me Robaron la Txlaparta
In early 2006 I was asked to write a piece for solo violin to be performed at the presentation of a so-called audio-visual poem (a video composition with accompanying words) in Bilbao. The brief was to write music that represented or was inspired by the city of Bilbao. Although I was indeed born in Bilbao, I have never spent more than three consecutive days there. In any case, it was an excuse to visit my family, so I said yes.
The requested violin piece turned into two violin pieces.
The first is called “Zazpi Kaleak Sunrise”. Zazpi Kaleak (“seven streets” in Basque) is the name given to the old town district of Bilbao. In this movement I imagine the old city waking up from the lethargy of its almost deserted streets to the bustle of midday and evening. On page 2 (fourth system, 2nd and 3rd bars) the Basque Zortziko rhythm (conventionally notated in 5/8 time) appears. Then on page 3 (beginning in the middle of the third system) I obliquely quote one of Bilbao’s most popular folk tunes, “Desde Santurce a Bilbao” (from Santurce to Bilbao).
The second piece is called “Los extraterrestres me robaron la txalaparta” (the aliens stole my txalaparta). A txalaparta is a peculiar Basque percussion instrument, generally made of long wooden or stone planks and played by pairs with thick, cylindrical wooden blocks that strike the planks vertically. The players tend to create very complex interlocking patterns. The instrument is more or less synonymous with the Basque Country. I originally intended to call the movement “the Americans stole my txalaparta” but decided against it, as I prefer to shun political statements in music. In any case, the title is an allegory of the gradual lost of identity that all peoples of the Earth are experiencing in the modern age of globalization. In the opening of this piece I utilize diverse percussive effects with the intention of imitating the txalaparta. The music then breaks into a Espatadantza, another typical Basque dance alternating 6/8 and 3/4 time, always beginning on the second half of the 6/8. With the artificial harmonics I intend to imitate the sound of the txistu, a small flute-like instrument of very piercing sound played with one hand, while the other beats on a drum. The latter is alluded by the stomping foot. As the person who asked me to write the piece was, at least nominally, of communist persuasion, I decided to introduce a quotation of The Internationale (top of page 7). This is a piece of decidedly virtuosic character, with a brief lyrical respite at the bottom of page 7. The Zortziko rhythm makes another brief appearance on page 8 (second system) before the music turns into an Aurresku, a very noble Basque dance usually performed by men (who eventually invite women to join) at solemn outdoor occasions. The piece ends with a spectacular downward gesture.
I gave the first performance of this work at the aforementioned presentation in Bilbao on May 6th 2006. I have subsequently performed it several times in Norway. A performance of it I gave in Jyväskylä (Finland) in March 2012 can be watched on YouTube.
Ricardo Odriozola, 18 August 2019
Ricardo Odriozola started studying the violin at the age of 9 and graduated from the Bilbao conservatoire in 1982. He then spent a year as exchange student in Arlington (near Boston) finishing his high school and serving as concertmaster of the Greater Boston Youth Symphony orchestra. In 1987 he obtained a bachelor degree in performance from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester (NY). That same year he moved to Bergen (Norway) and began teaching at the Bergen Music Conservatoire (now Grieg Academy), where he is now associate professor of violin and chamber music.
Ricardo Odriozola began writing music at the age of 10. The earliest composition he recognizes (a piano sextet) dates from 1984. Since then he has written more than 40 works (chamber music, solo, songs and orchestral music) and arranged a great deal of music by other composers. Several of his works appear on CD. In January 2015 he released his first CD dedicated exclusively to his music: “Views from my Horse” (www.amethyst-records.com).
Although he has never taken lessons in composition, Ricardo Odriozola has received guidance and inspiration from many prominent composers, particularly from Western Norway, and has built his craft by reading thousands of scores and listening to concerts and recordings. Ricardo Odriozola’s music is, however, primarily informed by his wide experience as a performer. He always strives to produce scores that are performer-friendly and music that can communicate directly with the listener without the aid of intellectual filters.