Dominic Sewell
The 'Rokeby' Venus
Duration: 8'
Solos:
piano
The 'Rokeby' Venus
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Work introduction
This solo piano piece was first performed by Helen Reid at Godalming College in Surrey in 2008. The piece was originally designed as a complement to the famous painting by Diego Velázquez – ‘The Toilet of Venus’. The music itself explores the notions of smooth lines, mirroring, the shape of the curves and the undulating main rhythmic motif is an attempt to reflect this. Embedded within, is the event of 1906 in which “Slasher” Mary Richardson took at least five slashes to the painting with a meat chopper as a protest against the arrest of Emmeline Pankhurst. The bell-like intrusions reflect this event. The piece was further inspired by my great friend Laura Trundle who insisted the piece should be finished after many months of vacillating on my part.