Cecilia McDowall

Falling Angels

Forces or Category: Cello & piano

for cello and piano
This piece draws inspiration from the book City of Falling Angels which gives a rich portrayal of Venice. The use of extended melodies that contrast with fragmented phrases portray the beauty of this city.

Falling Angels

Cecilia McDowall

Description

Programme Notes:

Falling Angels, a meditation for cello and piano, draws inspiration from the book City of Falling Angels in which the writer, John Berendt, gives a richly atmospheric portrayal of Venice where decay and disintegration are part of the allure. The rhythm of the lagoon, the gentle tides and waves of the Adriatic, frame the city like the rhythm of breathing. Extended melodies contrast with fragmented, falling phrases, sometimes ghostly, in this reflection on a beautiful city. The title was suggested by the sign 'Beware of falling angels' which was posted outside the Santa Maria della Salute Church in the 1970s before the marble angels were restored.
Copyright Cecilia McDowall 2010

Falling Angels

Cecilia McDowall

Composer Information