About the creation

Sonata for violoncello and piano (1990/91) The notion of exchanging tonal concepts with secondary parameters (like colour, texture, articulation etc.) has become of prime interest to me in the last few years. The attempt to write a sonata movement in which classic harmonic elemnts (tonic-dominant) are replaced by secondary parallels (Silence - sound) was the focal point in my compository process in this particular piece. The SONATA has developed around the uses of silence and non-silence (which has many hues) and is both lyrical and expressive. As in my other chamber works what is rather obvious are the aspects of "lack of communication" which can be found in the horizontal and vertical dimensions. A sentence from the novel by Michal Seri serves as the motto to my work: "I have never touched the edges of sorrow"... I wish to thank cellist Zvi Plesser with whom I worked closely and whose kind assistance, support and patience helped shaping the final version of this piece. I dedicated the Sonata to Elizabeth and George Crumb in memory of our happy times in Philadelphia. Oded Zehavi