Chiaroscuro
for solo violin

Rachel Barton, violin
WFMT Chicago broadcast and international Internet broadcast

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The idea of using contrast to shape form took hold in the Italian Renaissance through chiaroscuro.  As a visual arts technique, chiaroscuro (bright-dark) was used with great success, giving theatrical impact to paintings, drawings, etchings, and woodcuts, while supporting three-dimensional effect.  The artistic influence of chiaroscuro has extended into the Twentieth Century, primarily through literary and theatrical works.

Chiaroscuro, for violin solo, is based on the interplay of bright and dark sounds, contrasting melodic ideas, and the moods that are associated with them.  From somber lyricism to controlled pyrotechnical display, Chiaroscuro challenges the violinist to execute quick contrasts in playing style.  With a nod to its heritage, the music possesses a hint of Italian Gypsy lineage in the sound of the rapid bow work.

Like some other works by Jeffrey Hoover, Chiaroscuro is also the title of a print created by Jeffrey Hoover.  The visual content of the image follows the music.  A type of landscape with a background, middleground, and foreground, Chiaroscuro is a visual reflection of the music.  Unlike a landscape, no visual horizon is seen.  Rather, the horizon line is heard - the melody played by the solo violin - and when seen and heard together, the work becomes complete.