| Summary: | The aim of Metta Vee is to explore stylistic metamorphosis in an extended cross-generic work for electroacoustic string ensemble which combines the rich vocabulary of string writing from the Western art tradition with that found in jazz, folk and rock music. In performance this is achieved by individually expressing and then fusing the associated playing styles. In a series of supporting works different aspects of cross-genre writing for strings are explored, both in scored and sonic pieces. The final composition, Metta Vee (a phonetic abbreviation of metamorphous violin) is an evolving landscape which travels through various styles whilst retaining cohesion in the overall design. It is, as expressed in the subtitle, a stylistic journey through a landscape of string. Two violin soloists, one acoustic and one electric, convey the more intricate details of stylistic fusion, exploiting the instrument’s technical capacities and broad repertoire. The electric solo part has been scored for a 5-string violin, incorporating the low viola C string in addition to the standard tuning. Opportunities for soloing and musical exchanges between the players have been designated within the main work to showcase the cross-stylistic performance aesthetic through a series of variations generated by repeated motifs. Metta Vee is a work that faces the challenge of mixing the tonal characteristics of the electric violin with the acoustic string world so the two may be not just individually showcased, but homogenized, creating a new sonority as well as stylistic fusion.
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