Examining “Reflection”

In the past few weeks, I have had the chance to work with Solon on Reflection in greater detail. Together, we were able to discover the character of this second movement and how dramatically it contrasts with the first movement.

Reflection as a whole is much more improvisatory for the violin, while the piano provides a sense of structure with sextuplets that constantly fall on the beat. These sextuplets are insistent and non-sympathetic to the push-and-pull nature of the violin line. While I may feel the urge to barrel through a phrase or linger on a note, Solon must remain unrelenting with his part. My part is vocal, while Solon’s tends to be more mechanical.

The movement begins with a haunting, flowing violin solo that rises and falls before the piano interrupts with its first sextuplet. The introduction feels as if we are looking at it through a sheet of glass. The notes are distant, compared to the more in-your-face style of Coruscation.

Everything that follows this introduction has an overall direction towards the climax of the piece, but each time we anticipate it, there is a sudden return to tranquility. The climax occurs in the middle of the movement, and is entirely different from the introduction with a wild, almost psychotic nature. I remember imagining a toddler having a temper tantrum when I played through this section. This is the loudest part of the entire movement, and seems out of place when the movement is taken as a whole. After this dramatic middle portion, Reflection ends just like it began, with that same sorrowful melody appearing in the conclusion. It was interesting to find that the movement began and ended with this quiet, reflective section.

Solon and I took time during our rehearsal to think about what sort of story Reflection is telling. We ended up agreeing on what we can picture during this movement. The violinist can be pictured as an actor on a stage, alone, delivering a monologue that encompasses every thought and emotion that is presented. When we addressed how the pianist is related to this violinist-actor, we took into account the less prominent role of the piano in this movement in comparison to the first. The piano is an embellisher, which can be thought of as lights or scenery in the actor scenario. The accompaniment adds to and highlights the violin part, rather than competing with the violin as in Coruscation.

In closing, I want to say that writing these blogs has helped me immensely with my understanding of Coruscation and Reflection. With Solon’s help, I have been able to discover what each movement says on its own and how they relate to one another. The colors and moods of each say a lot about how each movement should be presented. I hope to deliver the piece the way Watkins intended!

P.S. I wish to thank Mr. Watkins for adding his comment to my second blog entry. It is a rare privilege for a student to hear directly from the composer.

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