Ocean of Infinite Peace - Juan Luis Madrigal

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Musical work by Juan Luis Madrigal for piano dedicated Luis Fernández-Castelló and Carlos Apellániz.

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Interpretation:

    Luis Fernández-Castelló, B-flat clarinet

    Carlos Apellániz, piano

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Composition, audio editing and post-production::

    Juan Luis Madrigal (2025)

 

Background image based on an original photograph by tommyvideo (via Pixabay)

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A work where the incommensurable, the fluid, and the cyclic connect, exploring the expressive and timbral possibilities of the clarinet and the piano. Its aesthetic framework weaves subtle bridges with diverse traditions: the aquatic fluidity and lyricism of Takemitsu; the neomodality and impressionism of Debussy and Ravel; the search for the infinite Wagnerian melody; Mozartian clarity and the formal rigor in motivic development inherited from Central European classical and romantic music.

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This piece develops a neomodal harmonic atmosphere is developed, utilizing deep pedal notes and chords of varying densities in the piano —often dense, with impressionistic reminiscences— in which the evocation of the ancient, the classical, and the contemporary merges together. Both melodically and harmonically, the idea of the cycle and the infinite is posed through the fluctuation and development of the melody and harmony, gentle in character yet ever-changing.

Regarding instrumental techniques, both traditional approaches (such as legato) and more contemporary acoustic effects are employed —such as echo sounds and the appearance (dal niente) and disappearance (al niente) of sounds in the clarinet— to create sonic and expressive effects, establishing a significant bond between both instruments. This fusion between the clarinet and the piano evokes the union of marine matter, the binding of the matter of a metaphorical ocean of endless peace.

The composer conceives this piece also from a transpersonal dimension, as a vehicle to explore elevated states of consciousness. The work dialogues with the theoretical approaches and maps of the mind of authors such as Carl Jung, Ken Wilber, or David Hawkins, who placed peace at the highest energetic threshold of human experience, prior to enlightenment.

Listening note: The structure of the work has been designed to support an infinite loop, allowing the end to transition seamlessly back to the beginning.

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Recording of the absolute premiere of the piece in concert, on 19th October 2025, at the Sala Negra of the Teatros del Canal of Madrid, as part of the COMA'25 contemporary music festival organized by the Madrid Association of Composers (AMCC).