To Pavel Steidl
commisioned by Plug Festival – Glasgow
The sound of guitar, rich in colours and nuances, has a highly imaginative power. It is delicate and quickly fades away in the air, but can take the listener towards the imaginary, beyond the horizon of the visible world.
This composition is written for three guitarists with different backgrounds and origins. Its aim is to be a meeting point of their experiences and their musical and artistic sensibilities.
The composition begins with the vibration of a pencil, that then generates the material of the piece. This pencil is used as a symbolic element of the power of creation. In the middle of the composition, this first vibration turns to the verses of the Persian mystic poet Rumi. I used the verses of Rumi because of their message of love and brotherhood, but also for their evocative sound that brings the listener in an ancient poetic world.
The body is not hidden from the soul, nor the soul from the body;
But seeing the soul is not permitted.
This flute is played with fire, not with wind,
and without this fire you would not exist.
Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī
Masnavi – The Song of the Reed