Crystal Vermin (1999) 8’50’’
amplified classical guitar
dedicated to: Diangelo Cicilia
first performance: Diangelo Cicilia, Rotterdam, 2000
performed since: numerous times in the Netherlands (a.o. Gaudeamus Composer’s Competition 2000), Curacao, Japan and the United States by Diangelo Cicilia
score published by: MGN / Donemus, Amsterdam
Nominee Gaudeamusprize 2000, The Netherlands
“Crystal Vermin of the German Florian Maier was most notable”
- De Volkskrant / NL , 4.9.2000
“Most satisfying was a guitar solo by Florian Maier, Crystal Vermin, which was given winning conviction by Diangelo Cicilia”
- Seen & Heard, sept. 2000
"Cicilia offers a daunting yet ultimately engaging range of textures, in which the rumbling ostinato at the start of Florian Magnus Maier's splendidly titled Crystal Vermin (for amplified classical guitar) proves particularly memorable."
- Classical Guitar Magazine, 4/2006
"I'm not sure if looping technology enters into Crystal Vermin's amplified specifications, yet the complex interplay between the opening section's steady, rumbling bass lines, high harmonics, and bluesy chords suggests at least two guitarists at work. The music comes to a full stop, followed by a section devoted to repeated chords that break out into fleet, flamenco-like filigree lines. It's clear throughout that Florian Magnus Maier uses amplification mainly to manipulate sonority and tone color, but rarely to enhance volume for the sake of loudness."
- www.classicstoday.com, October 3rd, 2006
After being considered "unplayable" at first (against my own better knowledge!), Diangelo Cicilia mastered the numerous difficulties and new guitar techniques presented in this piece.
It is based on the slow subterranean transformation of dead organic matter into crystalline structures.
There is also a string sextet version of this piece.
listen: Crystal Vermin Clip!
listen on myspace
