Double Bass
SKU:
BT.MUSM570367320
Composed by Sadie
Harrison. Book Only. 12
pages. University of York
Music Press
#MUSM570367320. Published
by University of York
Music Press
(BT.MUSM570367320).
English.
Sadie
Harrison's Ha
llristningsomra det
for solo Double Bass.
Composed and published
2016. Duration c. 10
minutes The area of
Tanumshede is situated on
the south western coast
of Sweden.
Archaeologically, it is
renowned for its unique
series of Bronze Age rock
carvings dating from
between c. 1800 to 500
BCE. Incised into over
600 panels, the
petroglyphs were
originally situated along
a 25 mile stretch of
fjord coastline and as
such there are many
depictions of Hjortspring
boats and seafaring
activities. There are
also scenes of hunting,
agricultural and
livestock farming and
warring, with many
armoured figures carrying
swords, axes and shields.
Whilst it is possible
tointerpret most carvings
as images of quotidian
life, the meaning of some
panels is less clear. It
is likely that several
scenes depict ritual acts
overseen by gods, often
surrounded by abstract
symbols - crosses, dots
and ‘cups’,
the significance of which
is now unknown. As well
as being a source of
information about
Scandinavian Bronze Age
weapons, vehicles, tools,
ships, even hairstyles,
the carvings have also
been the subject of
debates about gender. The
society depicted on the
rocks seems
overwhelmingly
patriarchal, making the
rare carvings of probable
female figures
particularly important.
The most famous of these
is known as The Grieving
Woman, apparently weeping
over a dead warrior from
a ship. Her grief,
‘heavy as
rocks’ is heard in
the opening movement of
the piece, echoing
through the remaining
movements and giving the
work its dark, melancholy
character. The Woman
returns in the final
movement as a ghost, her
footsteps coming closer
and closer as her
‘lover’s&rsqu
o; ship is rebuilt over
and over again. Movement
III is gentler in tone, a
song for the Woman and
her lover - depicted as a
couple rolling a giant
sun surrounded by farm
animals. Movement II
represents the enigmatic
Juggler or Calendar Man
who holds 29 spheres in
his hand - perhaps
juggling the fate of The
Grieving Woman.
Words As Weapons
