Résumés
Abstract
In 2004, Canadian composer Malcolm Forsyth (1936–2011) stated publicly that the simplest compositions, if genuine, often achieved the greatest profundity. He described the Adagio from his Double Concerto for Viola and Cello (2004) as “the greatest departure, for me, to this realm of a very, very simple and harmonious music.” This article explores Forsyth’s conception of simplicity by placing a close harmonic, motivic, and structural analysis in several contexts: the work’s history of revisions, what Mozart, Schubert, and Brahms reveal about musical simplicity, the debate on profundity in music, the discourse on “late style,” and personal anecdotes.
Résumé
En 2004, le compositeur canadien Malcolm Forsyth (1936–2011) a déclaré publiquement que les compositions les plus simples, si sincères, atteignent souvent la plus grande profondeur. Il décrit l’Adagio de son Double Concerto pour alto et violoncelle (2004) comme « le grand départ, pour moi, vers ce royaume d’une musique très, très simple et harmonieuse. » Cet article explore la conception qu’a Forsyth de la simplicité par une fine analyse harmonique, motivique et structurale dans plusieurs contextes : l’histoire des révisions de la pièce, ce que Mozart, Schubert et Brahms révèlent de la simplicité musicale, le débat sur la profondeur en musique, le discours sur le « style tardif » et des anecdotes personnelles.
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Biographical note
Robert Rival, composer and scholar, was the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra’s resident composer (2011–14). Articles on Shostakovich and Nielsen have appeared in Twentieth-Century Music and Carl Nielsen Studies. He co-edited Reflections on Malcolm Forsyth, the first book devoted to the late Canadian composer. An invited speaker at conferences in the United Kingdom, Denmark, and Canada, he is an adjunct professor of theory and composition, and coordinator of the composition sector, at the University of Ottawa. https://robertrival.com
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