Siren Surge
for String Quartet and Video
作曲家 許佳穎 CHIA-YING HSU
演出人員
陳奕宏（小提琴）Yi-Hung Chen / Vl I
林雨辰（小提琴）Yu-Chen Lin / Vl II
邱美慈（中提琴）Mei-Tzu Chiu / Vla
廖致雅（大提琴）Chih-Ya Liao / Vlc
創作年份 2024
The inspiration for this work comes from the composer’s association with the sea and the sirens from Greek mythology. The sirens are mythical sea creatures known for their enchanting beauty and melancholic voices. They often use their voices to lure sailors, spellbinding them and causing them to lose control over their ships, which drift aimlessly in the vast ocean. Through music, this composition portrays the imagery of the sea while the song-like melody of the cello evokes the voices of the sirens, who hide in the ocean. As the audience listen, they not only feel the imagery of the waves, but also immerse themselves in the mysterious musical “colors” of the myth. By incorporating elements of this myth into the musical language, the composer of this work aims for creating an effect akin to tone painting.
To express the sound effect resembling the undulating waves, the composer employs intervals larger than a third to create a clashing effect, much like the crashing of waves. The ensuing parts are equipped with single-note glissandi, double-note glissandi, and rapid ascending tone clusters. The successive passages are increasingly shortened, placed on top of each other in layers, and provided with increasing intensity, which mimics the creation and elevation of waves.
After a brief interaction between the four competing instruments, the first violin begins a downward sliding note, followed closely by the other parts, which transform into rapid descending clusters and punctuated pizzicato sounds to simulate the shattered effect of waves that crash downward. Additionally, the composer makes use of a special technique of alternating between muted strings and harmonics to imitate the sound of the wind, portraying the scene and adding depth to it, enabling the listeners to feel as though they are strolling along the seaside.