dona nobis pacem (2005)

The work explores the full expressive range of the string orchestra, shifting fluidly between traditional textures and more unconventional modes of ensemble interaction. While some passages adhere to the classic five-part division, much of the music treats the sixteen individual voices independently – engaging in intricate dialogues, fleeting moments of unity, and sharp contrasts in tension and density.

The first movement opens with a declamatory song in the solo viola, soon echoed and expanded by the full ensemble. What follows is a series of juxtaposed episodes: intimate duets and trios alternate with dense tutti sections. The movement ends with a return of the solo viola, abruptly silenced by a violent gesture from the cellos and basses.

The second movement is wild and relentless. It begins with the same forceful gesture that closed the first, then builds in complexity and intensity before collapsing into a single bar of slow glissandi spread across the ensemble. A more restrained central section follows, featuring a long, cantabile line in the cello. Gradually, the music regains momentum, compressing its material into a dense, driving unison line for all violins, bringing the movement to a close.

The final movement unfolds as a veiled song – quiet, inward, almost entirely in pianissimo. A hidden melody is passed from one instrument to another, creating a subtle, shifting resonance. The result is a dynamic meditation on fragility, conflict, and reconciliation – echoing the title’s quiet but insistent plea for peace.