Helena Winkelman

Ciaccona

Written in Iceland, Ciaccona draws inspiration from Iceland's fiery, ice-filled landscapes - evident particularly in its episode displaying flageolets - as well as from Iceland's legendary hidden inhabitants, the Huldufólk (elves). As befits a chaconne, Ciaccona is built upon a ground bass. After being distinctly present initially, however, the ground bass of Ciaccona passes into imperceptibility. It returns to offer a glimpse of itself, well disguised, in the extroverted, drivingly motoric central section, but becomes unambiguously present again only during the final two minutes of the work, which closes with a gentle, extended drift and a quiet echo of the motoric central section.