JANUARY 17, 2022 / CHAMBER
Magpie Sonata
I. Omen
II. Spirit
III, Totem
NOTES
The magpie has been the subject of folklore, religious stories, witchcraft, and children’s tales. In the Chinese story ‘The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl,’ these birds symbolise happiness, loyalty, and good luck. Rossini’s Opera La Gazza Ladra is the story of a magpie that steals shiny items like
coins and silver and hides them in a church tower; however, a maid is blamed for stealing these items and nearly hanged for the crime. Stories like this one have contributed to the magpie’s reputation of being deceitful and opportunistic. In ancient Greece, magpies were associated with the god Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, merriment, and celebration. According to Scandinavian lore, the magpie represents a perfect balance of the female and male energies owing to it’s evenly distributed black and white plumage.
Magpie Sonata is like a portrait of the magpie taken from three different angles. Each movement explores aspects of this wonderful bird’s curious
nature and our imperfect interpretation of the magpie.
LISTEN TO A RECORDING
PERFORMERS
Violin, Amanda Suet Yeng Tse
Cello, Brian Patrick Bromberg
DOWNLOAD SCORES (EXCERPT)
INSTRUMENTATION
LENGTH