au (2020 rev.2023)
two cellos (17′)
performances
• march 9, 2021, ranga kim, jiyeong yoon (vlc), busan, south korea
• november 28, 2023, jooyeon yoon, jiyeong yoon (vlc), busan, south korea
program note
au(αὖ) means ‘newly, again’ in ancient greek.
we are enjoying a more comfortable life than ever before. we should always be grateful to those who have contributed to the advancement of science. however, at some point, the development pattern seems to be out of control. i doubt whether the brake pedal is broken. by the time doubt solidifies into certainty, it is already too late. convenience will inevitably come with side effects. unconditional development-oriented thinking must be vigilant before it is too late. gradually slowing down, it’s time to look back on the way you’ve come. in the past, there will be clues to avoid a tragic ending.
this discourse is combined into the structure of the piece. the piece has seven movements. the first movement presents a melody as the primary material, which was sung in the western middle ages. the even-numbered movements, including the second movement, introduce noise-oriented materials distinct from the melody and develop independently. in the third and fifth movements, the primary material—the melody— appears transformed, and in the last movement, the piece ends with a sound familiar to us.