Steven Bryant

The Lovers is an adaptation of one movement from a much larger work, The Treachery of Sounds. Originally scored for Violin, Cello, Flute, Clarinet, Piano, Percussion, and electronics, this new version captures the tango dance of the original, with two masked dancers, for Alto Saxophone and Piano.

The title is from René Magritte’s painting of a couple, kissing while their heads are shrouded. They are simultaneously intimately entwined and kept separate. I envisioned a wild tango, fragmented at first, that gradually gains cohesion, momentum, and passion. A brief, traditional tango interlude sees the dancers in the original version come together unmasked, only to return to the masked, unrequited, unstable dance from before, exhausting themselves.

I am grateful to Andrea Edlbauer and Oksana Kuzo for their fantastic musicianship and generous help in testing this new version and giving the world premiere of the work!

Dedicated to: Andrea Edlbauer and Oksana Kuzo

Premiered

14 June 2024: Andrea Edlbauer and Oksana Kuzo, Die Alte Schmiede, Vienna, Austria
21 June 2024: Andrea Edlbauer and Oksana Kuzo, Lukas Aigner Galerie, Linz, Austria

Technical Info

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