Flute, clarinet, piano and string quartet
Duration: ≈ 12 minutes
Year: 2021
Commissioned by Arte no Tempo for ars ad hoc ensemble
Supported by Programa Garantir Cultura (Ministry of Culture, Portugal)
Documentary: ars ad hoc – ignição
The work features several techniques that Neto da Costa had already explored in solo works, as well as others that emerged in dialogues with elements of ars ad hoc. The composer sought to exploit the timbres of the instruments to the fullest, sometimes modifying the traditional role of the instrument. From noisy distortion to the light friction of the instrumental body, reminiscent of a whisper with immense air, Illustrate Internal Clouds is, in a way, a compendium of textures and an exploration of extreme sounds that follow a certain narrative line. More than just “botanical” pleasure, the listener should be attentive to the play of expectations and meanings, to the “story,” to the sonic “relief.” As it is difficult to find titles for works that are conceived without extramusical references, the title was chosen from several random generations composed of the verb-adjective- noun sequence. The composer believes that it was the title that most closely approximated the poetic side of the music, without there having to be a logical explanation.
Luís Neto da Costa 