Fast Blue Village 5

Fast Blue Village 5 for string orchestra (or string quintet) is a version of the piece which I wrote in 2007. The title is an amalgamation of my two pieces Fast Blue Air 1 for robotic string quartet and Village Idiot for 17 instruments, both based on the particular material patterned in the 10/8 time signature, divided mainly into groups of 4+3+3 quavers, occasionally changing to 5 beats in a bar. There is a recurring 8-bar harmonic sequence that is at the core of this work. It’s an energetic piece full of syncopated cross-rhythms.
While looking at the piece again, I felt that the original ending is not as strong as another one I created for ensemble Spark recently. So I have added this new ending into a few versions, also because Cathy Milliken programmed Fast Blue Village 5 for the Adelaide Symphony special concert curated by her – a nice opportunity to have a premiere of this version.
Elena Kats-Chernin, 2024