Hovarrdij

Whilst still a student at The Royal Conservatory in The Hague, six friends and I were commissioned by the VNO-NCW to write works influenced by a series of seven sculptures by Peer Veneman called De Zeven Hoofdzonden (The Seven Deadly Sins). I choose Hovaardij (Pride) because of the bulbous steel arrogance of its stance, cloaked as it is with a long protective coat and gratuitously displaying its penis. Britain and the US had just invaded Iraq with a pomposity so reminiscent of the sculpture that I decided to saturate the score with musical symbols – firstly an arrogant funk riff reminiscent of a pimp shrouded in a long leather jacket, a metrical system based on the number 7, an obsession with the nether regions of the instrument and the tritone (the 'devil' in music), a judgemental plainchant in ethereal harmonics and bullying fragments of the star spangled banner. Originally written for the bass clarinettist Annette Schenk, I made this version for Andy Scott as soon as I returned to the UK and this recording gave me a chance to add a further symbol - an omnipresent reverb reminiscent of a cathedral or a mosque, or both. The models for this mix were the beautiful recordings of Cage's 'Five' and 'Four' by Marcus Weiss. Andy and Tim Redpath (CD producer) - for your insight and support of my music, huge thanks.

- Matt Wright September 2006