吉他演奏家Sam Cave有委約我為他的新的CD以及音樂會項目「Felix namque」創作一部新獨奏作品。本項目的主題圍繞著15、16世紀英國作曲家常用的體裁，叫做“Felix namque”。這種鍵盤作品，像更知名的體裁「In nomine」一樣，是基於Felix namque es的聖詠之複音音樂作品。我很榮幸可以跟Michael Finnissy、Christopher Fox、John Croft以及其他作曲家一起參與本次項目。
有關「Felix namque」，Sam Cave有寫過：
“This project aims to create eclectic and contemporary responses to the English tradition of composing ‘Felix Namques’ by commissioning a range of composers to write new works for solo guitar. These works will engage with the plainsong source material, Felix namque es, and its transcriptions and transformations by historical composers in 15th– and 16th-centruy England.
Working method, style, compositional language and aesthetic are NOT prescribed in any way. Tonality, atonality, microtonality, scordatura, and the use of electronics and/or effects pedals are all welcomed and encouraged. Additionally compositions for classical, steel string acoustic, and electric guitar are all welcomed as part of this project. It is the goal of this project to foster the creation of a varied and characterful response to these materials and to see the musical style and personality of each composer’s approach shine through the prism of historical ‘found’ material.
In 15th– and 16th-century England it became popular to compose solo keyboard works based on the plainchant Felix namque es, the Offetory of certain Masses for the Virgin. This composition style became so popular, in fact, that it was second in popularity only to the ubiquitous ‘In Nomine’. There are many notable examples of this style of composition from the period, including works by Thomas Tallis, John Redford, John Blitheman, William Shelby, Thomas Preston and others.”
我2020年2月已完成我的委約作品，《bountiful》，總時長大約為六分鐘。在這部作品中，我試圖營造一種沉思的分為，同時試著盡可能地利用吉他空弦和泛音的共鳴來產生最飽滿的音響效果。
實際上，Felix namque不只有一個聖詠，這套歌詞其實有許多不同的旋律可以用來唱。為了《bountiful》，我選了來自格里高利傳統的旋律：
我把旋律分成四個段落，分別把四個段落的音符投射到四個不同的「定位序列」（V-Sets）上。四個定位序列是按照G的泛音列而設計，第一個是最純粹地「表達」G泛音列的聲效，第二、三四個都卻逐漸地遠離該泛音列（借用Gérard Grisey的觀念，後面三個定位序列的「harmonicity」在逐漸減少）。
延續項目的文藝復興主題，我還運用了16世紀英國作曲家的另一個習俗來設計作品的結構。John Tavener的讚美歌Dum Transisset Sabbatum，以及幾個其他讚美歌，運用一種很特別的重複方式來佈置作品的段落。用字幕來代表段落，可以把它寫為ABCD-BCD-CD-D。我運用同樣的方式來重複《bountiful》的四個部分。
關於Sam Cave:
https://divineartrecords.com/artist/sam-cave/
Previous collaborations with Sam Cave:
關於我與Sam Cave之前的合作項目：
“Refracted Resonance”- Sam Cave’s Seminar in Brunel University, 11th December 2019 (late upload)