from: Elements (3/11/04)

"Private Game" by Shulamit Ran
(Comments are by the composer)


"The Da Capo Chamber Players' invitation to write a short piece incorporating, in any way I desired, the group's name into its format, turned out to be an interesting challenge.  Repetition is the essence of comprehesibility,  But -- Da Capo, today?  While the initial temptation was to use the term loosely, I found myself intrigued by the idea of having *strict* repeition, without giving the appearance of arbitrary formalism.  My solution: there are three brief Da Capo sections interlaced into the piece in a  1-2-3-2-3 sequence.  1 and 2 appear at key points structurally.  3 is more transitory and ornamental.  They are essential, for they give the piece coherence, but they may or may not be consciously perceived as repetitions on first hearing.  They are my private game.  Enough said."