Diferencias for Flute, Clarinet, Violin, Cello, Piano, and Percussion(2000)
Premiered by Ensemble Eighth Blackbird, CCM, 2000
Duration: 4 min.
The Diferencias are one of the oldest examples of variations in Spanish instrumental music during the 16th century. Particularly known are the Diferencias composed by Luis de Narváez and Antonio de Cabezón.
Vega’s Diferencias take their name from the Renaissance Spanish genre. There are eight variations and a coda on a theme constructed predominantly with minor thirds and sixths (set 0 1 4). This theme is presented melodically at the beginning of the piece, after a brief introduction. All variations are constructed based on the harmonic progression of the original theme. New melodic material, as a second theme, is introduced in the third and fourth variations and reiterated in the seventh variation. The coda is constructed on an ostinato in pianissimo of the violin and cello. This ostinato gradually fades away into silence to end the piece.
This recording: Eighth Blackbird