L’Ombre d’un Doute

This music was written for a film by Michel van Zele, Les Caravage de Philippe de Béthune, l’ombre d’un doute, a documentary in which the director investigates the authenticity (doubtful for some, real for others) of two paintings recently discovered in a church near Loches.
Allusions to Monteverdi’s Orfeo (contemporary with Caravaggio’s paintings) abound in these five pieces for viola da gamba, as underlined by the titles I have chosen: Fanfare, La Messagère, Les Ombres, La Harpe d’Orphée, Les Esprits.
The initial Fanfare recalls the opening bars of L’Orfeo, while La Harpe d’Orphée recalls the hero’s great tale in the Underworld. This piece is played entirely pizzicato, while the third piece, Les Ombres, makes extensive use of col legno sounds (the strings being struck with the wood of the bow).
The final piece, Les Esprits, is all chiaroscuro, evoking Caravaggio’s tragic death. A battle between light and shadow, between the oppressive power of the low notes and the angelic purity of the high harmonics.
These five pieces are dedicated to Nima ben David.