Freedom from Fear

by Maija Hynninen

for oboe, electronics and lights

Description

Freedom from Fear reflects the thoughts of Aung San Suu Kyi (b. 1945), Burmese politician and freedom fighter. She spent 15 years in house arrest under the Burmese military dictatorship until she was released in 2010. During and after the house arrest Kyi gained international acclaim and received many honours including the Nobel Peace Prize.

After listening and watching many interviews by Kyi, I became fascinated with her thought how “in any country, if the majority is determined to follow a certain path, they will be able to do it, sooner or later”. It seems almost a miracle that the Burmese military dictatorship has finally turned into democracy in the 2010’s. The majority of Burmese people had joined forces. Together they had also overcome fear that is related to the fact that most protests in Burma were brutally interrupted by military action.

“Freedom from Fear” – one of the most famous Aung San Suu Kyi quotes as well as other direct quotes taken from her interviews are transcribed for oboe and woven into the oboe textures. These delicate keyclicks and airy sounds share the stage with powerful and noisy multiphonics and glissandi that represent the strength and power of the thought over brutal violence. Two loudspeaker arrays – the small home-made ones on stage and the large ones placed around the audience – create two different spaces. The intimate on- stage space is illuminated by lights that are built into these small speakers. Following the loudness of the keyclicks and airy sounds of the oboe, each of the speakers flickers at its own pace. The lights changing from white to blue and then towards orange and red portray the political climate change from serenity into a state of uncertainty. The electronics culminate through the peaceful demonstrations of 2016-17 in the US into the chaos of the Burmese Saffron Revolution of 2007.

Maija Hynninen 2017

Instrumentation

ob, electr

Category

Works for Solo Instrument

Premiere

Kyle Bruckmann, oboe, Maija Hynninen and Jeremy Wagner, electronics, Hertz Hall, Berkeley, US, May 8th 2017.

Movements

1. Strong, resilient, 2. Rustling, restless, 3. Lonely protester, 4. The people, 5. The aftermath - solemn

PDF for promotional use

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Archive number

MF32818

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