Red Note Laura Bowler: Deconstructing Pierrot

Laura Bowler: Deconstructing Pierrot

Laura Bowler: Deconstructing Pierrot

Co-commissioned by Red Note Ensemble, Music on Main and Ensemble Offspring, Deconstructing Pierrot came out of a conversation, a shared loathing of the celebrated Pierrot Lunaire by Schoenberg.

Receiving its world premiere at soundfestival 2024, the work re-examines and re-interprets the poems of Albert Giraud, while repurposing musical material from Schoenberg’s famed work in a subversive act of defiance.

“It can be difficult to brazenly grab pitches, rhythms, harmonies from work that you love, but with work that makes you angry or frustrated it can be much easier. Grab this, take that, turn it inside out and spit it out the other side. I adore the instrumental writing in the Schoenberg, it’s exquisite and so rich in its variety of colours. I have less love for the vocal writing, and as a vocalist who also has a strong interest in commedia dell’arte, it could be seen as peculiar that I have never had any desire to perform the work. I admire it (sort of), but I just don’t like listening to it. Through this journey of delving into Schoenberg, I don’t feel any different. I still adore the instrumental writing, and I remain still feel frustrated and angered by the vocal writing, particularly its continuous hysteria and lack of nuance (for me). Of course, I’m almost certainly in the minority here.”

“I went back to the original text in French and attempted to draw out the tragic vulnerability of the creative artist in their need to please, to be heard, or to be seen. The self destruction aided by a drug infused evening of anxious voices, unfulfilled desires and depression. The work features 3 interludes which draw the work out of its more poetic language into one that is more real, more direct.” – Laura Bowler