Silenzio, for prepared harp

Written in 2012, Silenzio is a composition for prepared harp inspired by the aesthetics of American composer John Cage and some idiomatic sonorities of the harp. Silenzio was originally commissioned by harpist Giulia Azzurra Rettore, who premiered it during a performance of Musicircus at the English National Opera, London, in 2012. Since then, the piece has received tens of performances internationally, in the UK, Italy, Spain, France, USA, Hong Kong, Chile and Australia. 

Silenzio was featured in a dedicated documentary broadcast on Cultural Plaza, Jade Channel TVB, Hong Kong, in 2018, and has been discussed in the dissertation Contemporary Harp Writing: Three Case Studies by Francesca Virgilio. 

Silenzio’s preparation features some foil paper wrapped around two strings and three small (possibly Chinese / Oriental) bells hanging from the instrument’s frame, as indicated below. The three small bells, stimulated by some pincé notes, bounce on the strings, while the foil paper creates a deep, drone-like buzzing effect. These objects play on some peculiarities of the instrument, whilst enhancing the musical possibilities of the performer.

Structurally, the composition articulates through varying repetitions and a slowly unfolding harmonic rhythm. Similarly, the piece’s tempo wishes to induce a lack of pulse-perception, evoking an idea of still time: a sort of sonorous silence unable to articulate pulses and heartbeats.