Akrostich-Wortspiel

By Unsuk Chin

Bio
Born in Seoul in 1961
Studied composition at the Seoul National University with Sukhi Kang.
In 1985 moved to Hamburg to study with Gyorgy Ligeti.

The Piece
Written for Solo Soprano and ensemble
In Seven Movements, with Movement I II III VII,
Written in 1991, and IV V VI written in 1993.
Text and inspiration from the Fairy-tales The Endless Story by Michael Ende and Alice
Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll.
The text is turned into an artificial language, with the text turned into different patterns,
removing any resembles of the original words.

Several instruments are tuned anywhere from a quarter to a sixth of a tone higher.
Soprano fluctuates between tunings.
Premiered in 1993 by George Benjamin
Influenced by Balinese Gamelan, Electronic Music and Color/light.

Pitch Center of in each movement

In her program notes: All seven Pieces are constructed around a controlling pitch centre, but they are fully
differentiated from one another in their means of expression.
My analysis of each movement:

Movement Pitch Center Secondary

I. Hide and Seek B C#

II. The puzzle of the D C#?

III. The rules of the Game G-G# F#
IV. Four Seasons in Five G#- A- A#-B- C C#
Verses
V. Domifare S3 A (text for A is C or C# (text is Do)
la)
VI. the Game of Chance E G#
VII. From the Old Time B and None, since B and B-
sometimes B- flat are both equally
flat used.





 Each Movement has its own unique high density gesture that defines the
structure of each movement.

Movement 1 Movement 2

Movement 3 Movement 4

Movement three is continuous as this

gesture represents the entire movement.

Movement 5 Movement 7

Movement6

Bibliography

Chin, Unsuk. Fantaisie mcanique; Xi; Akrostichon-Wortspiel; Double Concerto. Ensemble Intercontemporain with Samuel Favre,
percussion; Dmitri Vassilakis, piano; Stefan Asbury, conductor. KAIROS 0013062KAI. CD. 2011.

Lee, Jong Eun. 2014. "Inside the Hyper-Instrument: Unsuk Chin's "Double Concerto"." Order No. 3631888, University of
Washington.

Rhie, Kay Kyurim. "Quilting Time and Memory: the Music of Unsuk Chin." DMA diss., Cornell University, 2009.

Chin, Unsuk. Akrostichon-Wortspiel. London: Boosey & Hawkes, 1996.

Whittall, Arnold. "Unsuk Chin in Focus: Meditations & Mechanics." The Musical Times 141, no. 1870 (2000): 21-32.