Ian Wilson
Phosphorus
Duration: 23'
Instrumentation details:
violin
viola
violoncello
Wilson - Phosphorus for violin, viola and violoncello
Work introduction
Passion is the elemental force being explored in this work, an idea inspired by a little allegory found in Laura Esquivel's book Like water for chocolate, where the soul is described as containing a book of matches which can be lit one after the other and will last for life if one finds the right lover. However, if one is careless they may all light at once in a mad conflagration, and if one is too careful, they may become damp and never light at all.
Phosphorus is a set of ten variations on a theme, presented at the beginning and recalled at the end, which I took from my piano piece A Haunted Heart, and variations five, six and seven form the contemplative and lyrical core of the work.
The title was suggested by the artist, Barbara Freeman (phosphorus, of course, being a major ingredient in match-heads), whose set of 12 paintings of the same collective title is a partner work to my trio, both works being presented together at the premiere in May 1998, and both commissioned by the Sonorities Festival with funds from the National Lottery Unit of the Northern Ireland Arts Council.
Ian Wilson