Hues of Dusk

HUES OF DUSK by Victor Kioulaphides performed by HET CONSORT conducted by Alex Timmerman. Video shot by Mr. Jan Ulderink during a concert of the orchestra in the Grote Kerk in Meppel, Overijssel in the Netherlands on November 29th, 2008. Hues of Dusk was originally composed and dedicated to the Baltimore Mandolin Quartet with, on 1st and 2nd mandolin; David Evans and Laura Norris, on mandola (G-d-a-e); Jonathan Jensen and on guitar Tony Norris. It was premiered by this fine and active quartet, usually referred to as a Romantic Mandolin Quartet, on March 11th 2007. The work was written on request of Jonathan Jensen and beneath is written down what Victor Kioulaphides, the composer of Hues of Dusk, informed the readers of the Internet Mandolin Cafe about his inspiration and the creation of it: I actually walked all the way back home: past the Museum of Natural History, across Central Park, still immersed in the hues of early dusk, out of the park by the Metropolitan Museum, lazily strolling down the hill to the cozy neighborhood of Yorkville, by the East River. A walk taking not much more than half an hour, door-to-door. - I am happy to announce that this work, that will carry the title Hues of Dusk has dawned on me. Hues is impressionistic (obviously, considering the nature of the inspiration), very "note-shy", more of the sit-back-and-listen kind of piece than a warhorse." "- The textures are significantly thinner than what would be considered "usual". Most works for Mandolin Quartet that I am familiar with use the four instruments, in some tutti arrangement or other, much of the time; au contraire, Hues of Dusk is very, very sparse: pictorially speaking, a leaf languidly falling from a tree here, a casual breeze lightly rippling the surface of a small pond there... - It is hardly a piece that will dazzle, - it is rather a work to be enjoyed calmly, looking out the window, perhaps, in silent reverie. I have penned —or rather penCILED— down the last note(s) of my latest creation." - The tone poet Kioulaphides goes on telling that: "I have steered in a "less is more" direction; Hues has precious few notes, and little to impress with— other than, hopefully, the atmosphere it attempts to create. As my walks across the park continue, thanks to the unseasonably warm weather we have had in New York lately, I can attest to it that this piece does speak in soft, dusky tones; now, whether anyone will actually LIKE it, well... that I leave to the prospective audience(s). All I can do is take a stroll in the park, with my imaginary note-pad in my back pocket." About performing the Hues of Dusk with lager ensembles than a mandolin quartet the composer remarks te following: While Hues of Dusk is, of course, scored for the usual instrumentation of the quartetto romantico (i.e. 1st and 2nd mandolins, octave-mandola, and guitar), one player per part, I have absolutely NO objection to the idea of playing this piece with more than one pla