George Rochberg, an enormous figure in twentieth-century American music will be at the College tomorrow night to view the New England Premiere of his major new work for two pianos, "Circles of Fire."
The piece will be performed in Spaulding Auditorium by Sally Pinkas, artist-in-residence at the Hopkins Center, and her husband Evan Hirsch, a world-renowned duo who made their debut in 1992 at the Hopkins Center and have performed for audiences in Europe and North America.
"Circles of Fire" was dedicated to the duo by the composer who has nothing but the utmost respect for their talents.
"I wanted to write something of proportion for them. They are first-rate musicians and I love the way they play the piano together and individually," he said.
The duo are returning from Philidelphia, Penn., where they were performing the piece only days ago.
Rochberg has not only produced an enormous amount of music, but also pieces of numerous genres throughout his career.
From the late 1940s through the early 1960s, Rochberg primarily wrote atonal and serial music, but afterwards, turned to more traditional tonal music, thereby displaying the artistic freedom for which he has become to be known.
Just as all of his music covers a very wide and broad spectrum, Rochberg was quick to point out that this piece accomplishes the same feat.
"This is no longer what people think of as contemporary music, it embraces the old past, the recent past, the recent present and the present," he said.
This particular piece is comprised of 16 sections and will run approximately 70-75 minutes. It will be preceded by Johann Sebastian Bach's "Prelude and Fugue in C minor BWV 546" arranged by Evan Hirsch for four hands.
This is the third stop on the tour which began at Duke University in Durham, N. C.
The Music Department is sponsoring a conversation with Rochberg concerning his work today at 4 p.m. in the Faulkner Recital Hall in the Hopkins Center.
