Orchestra of flutes (5), clarinets (6), saxophones (6), percussion (6), and narrator (optional)
✉️ If you wish to perform the piece, please contact me
Duration: ca. 11′
Year: 2024
Commissioned by Arte Piacere
Based on the same work by José Luís Peixoto
Recorded in an album by Arte Piacere
Inspired by the opening and closing words of José Luís Peixoto’s novel “Galveias,” this two-part work explores the duality between calm and catastrophe. In the first part, “January 1984,” the excerpts evoke the fusion between the stillness of the night in the small Alentejo village and the indifference of a “nameless thing” that crosses the space, creating an atmosphere of cosmic immobility. The tempo is slow and contemplative, with a sense of suspended time, reflecting the profound tranquility and vastness of the universe.
In the second movement, “September 1984,” the excerpts capture the devastating and terrifying impact of an explosion that shakes Galveias, bringing to the surface the mystery and latent memory of the “nameless thing.” Despite the chaos and fear, the village perseveres, with its inhabitants coming together to face the unknown, symbolizing Galveias’ resilience in the face of adversity.
Luís Neto da Costa 