Elena Kats-Chernin: In Tension

Abstract

Some of the aspects of this piece from my student days are still present in my current works. Although my pitch language was more abstract at that time, and my overall style has altered, characteristics such as the extensive use of mottos and the use of a small amount of material are still apparent. The core of In Tension is that a deceptively optimistic, continually rising, yet unstable motif is insistently arrested amidst its developments to such an extent that the interruptions themselves become primary structural elements. The focus is on attaining stability; yet when finally established, there ensues an inevitable struggle to escape the dangers of inertia.