Birdflight, III. Con mosso (2020) – Anél Van de Venter (South Africa)
A conversation in three parts between the collective human conscience and all of the dying earth, as represented by a bird.
In the first part, the two conversationalists are introduced to each other and the situation: an injured, struggling bird is approached by a human, the ignorant accountable.
During the second part the human starts to acknowledge the role played in the continued injury to the bird.
In the final part, some reform and restoration takes place and the bird can ultimately take flight again.
Throughout the three parts, the bird’s nature (to be liberated, to soar, to be light and full of life, to fly or to take flight) can be heard in repetitive flighty, fast passages. A continued undertone of angst serves as the counterpart to this and symbolizes the opposing character – the culpable human.
I started writing the first movement back in 2017, when I lived in the picturesque Eastern Cape and was surrounded by wonderful nature and wildlife. It subsequently grew into a work of three movements over the years, the last of which I finished writing in 2020 after coming across your call for scores thinking it can fit well with your theme. Eco consciousness is a very real and very necessary value to adopt in this day and age and it is something that I fervently wish to adhere to throughout my life, through all means possible and I think it is great that we can also raise awareness through the arts.
Anél van de Venter is a medical doctor who composes music purely for the joy of it.
Born in 1990, she grew up in a small South African town and started composing around the age of 15. Some of her
choral works have been performed locally and one of her instrumental pieces was published in a South African journal for music teaching. She wishes to write music as a sideline career and to promote music with depth especially to the youth of the world.
Ann DuHamel 