Drift

The Concept: A Bridge Between Worlds

The title Drift refers to the South African English term for a “ford”—a safe crossing point in a river. Vrolijk uses this metaphor to guide the listener across the “River of Time.”

The work bridges two distinct sonic worlds: the ethereal, ancient polyphony of Johannes Ockeghem’s Missa mi-mi (15th century) and the jagged, modern language of Steffen Schleiermacher’s Gregorianik 1. Rather than clashing these styles, Vrolijk creates a slow, meditative transition, allowing the audience to experience the physical sensation of time passing.

Musical Iconography: The Fifth Instrument

Vrolijk treats the saxophone quartet not as a rhythmic machine, but as a resonator for the room itself.

• Vocal Polyphony: The saxophones abandon their modern, percussive capabilities to mimic the human voice, blending into a singular, choir-like organism that floats in the cathedral space.
• The Architecture as Instrument: The piece is scored specifically for the majestic acoustics of Gothic churches. The natural reverberation is an integral part of the score.
• The Fluid Tempo: The metronome marking leaves room for interoretation. The musicians are instructed to adapt their speed to the decay of the room. They must “listen to the walls,” waiting for the resonance to settle before moving forward. This creates a breathing, organic texture where the building dictates the pace of the drama.

Space as a Resonant Chamber

The performance venue is a vital part of this work. Drift was composed for the renowned sonic.art quartet and is written specifically for the majestic acoustics of Gothic churches. The natural reverberation of the space is not an afterthought; it is an integral component of the composition.

For this reason, the tempo is not fixed. Instead, the musicians must adapt their speed to the specific resonance of the concert hall. This approach ensures the music merges with the architecture, creating a transparent and site-specific auditory experience in every performance.

Also for saxophone quartet: Lachrymae