Rub Dub for two pianos

B-L Piano Duo (Bertram WEE and Lynette YEO)
Esplanade Recital Studio
20 August 2019

Rub Dub for 2 pianos was inspired by imagining what two identical instruments can do, when placed facing one another as is often laid out as such in performance.

The title alludes to the recording technique of dubbing, to electronic techniques used in dub music, and to its related dance genre dubstep; all the musical and kinetic qualities of these terms are somehow worked into the very fabric of the music. In addition, ‘rub’ not only rhymes with the word ‘dub’ but also to me relates to ‘rubber’ with its elastic quality, and somewhat sounding like ‘rob’. These suggestive terms not only point to what the duo are doing in time, but also to time itself.

So as you might sense, this work arose from the meeting of a range of ideas, directly or obliquely related, or totally unrelated, though I cannot quite say which came first, ideas or the music.

As far as I can remember, the wish to write a work deserving of this wonderful B-L Piano Duo, to engage their ever inspiring musicianship, must be the original reason for taking time during my hectic travels in Germany and Korea to complete Rub Dub this year. I am grateful there are still musicians who love music enough these days to delight themselves with avoiding trouble-free new works!

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From the concert "Dialogues and Reflections" by the Composers Society of Singapore (CSS) in collaboration with Asian Composers League-Korea (ACL-Korea).

Esplanade Recital Studio | 20 Aug 2019 (Tu) | 8:00 PM

Video: CHUNG Ee Yong
Audio: Timothy S. H. TAN

The Composers Society of Singapore (CSS), formed in 2007, fosters the creation of new music by Singapore composers, and promotes musical works both locally and abroad through concerts, conferences, discussions and other activities.