Camilo Juan Verga

19:05

19:05, 5 Minutes Before the Birth of Apollo presents an intertextual fusion of musical styles. A discursive melody appears in the bass line, contrasting with the overall language of the piece. In this passage, the rhythm becomes simplified, standing in opposition to the predominant irregular values, while the descending model sequence lends it a sense of predictability. The melody is presented three times, always following a moment of silence. Not only is it varied, but each iteration is progressively shortened through a process of linear subtraction. The coda serves as a paraphrase of John Dowland's music and the ornamental style of Renaissance lutenists and vihuelists. This piece employs an unconventional scordatura, with the first string tuned a quarter tone below E and the sixth string tuned to C.