A DUST IN TIME | TEXTURA

The Del Sol Quartet: A Dust In Time
Bright Shiny Things

The developmental structure of A Dust In Time by Huang Ruo (b. 1976) recalls the arc Henryk Górecki gave the first movement of his Symphony No. 3, also known as the Symphony of Sorrowful Songs. In that instance, the orchestra and soprano swell to a transcendent climax and then spend the second half undertaking a descent that unfolds as methodically. While no vocalist is part of Ruo's hour-long passacaglia, his arguably does Górecki's one better in adhering to a palindromic form in the fullest sense: structured in thirteen parts and inspired by Tibetan Buddhist sand mandalas, A Dust In Time progresses through six “ascending” parts, reaches its zenith, and then reverses the trip through six “returning” sections. It's important to note, however, that the track titles appearing on the release weren't part of Ruo's original score but rather suggested by The Del Sol Quartet for this world-premiere recording. Regardless, the sense of a long journey initiated and completed is powerfully conveyed by the material, whose supplicating character makes it all the more affecting.