Silent Spring (2021)

for piano, accordion, marimba and vibraphone

7'

//First performance by Miki Kawashima, Kaat Vanhaverbeke, Maria De La Calle, Bram van Helvoort, Roberto Jimenez on November 21, 2022

Programme note:

Spring is generally associated with rebirth and life, but in Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring, the adjective “silent” transforms its meaning. The central theme of Silent Spring is the powerful—and often negative—impact humans have on the natural world. According to Carson, human actions upon nature always carry consequences, often triggering ripple effects far greater than anticipated. She uses silence as a metaphor, evoking an image of what spring would be like if there were no birds left—a spring without their voices. This silence would be deafening, the absence of their songs akin to losing one of our primary senses. The main goal is to represent the coexistence of these two realities: nature’s fragile beauty and the destructive interference of humanity.