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Inside a Mechanical Clock

(2008/2013/2014/2015/2020)

  • (a) Contrabass, Accordion (2008)

  • (b) 2 Recorders, Theorbo (2013)

  • (c) Accordion duo (2014)

  • (d) Mandolin, Guitar, Keyboard (Piano or Harpsichord) (2015)

  • (e) Guitar, Contrabass, Accordion (2020)

  • Duration 6:30 min.

  • First performance (a) on September 27, 2008, in Lübeck, Germany by John Eckhardt, contrabass and Eva Zöllner, accordion

  • First performance (b) on August 6, 2013, at BRQ Vantaa Festival, Finland by Eero Saunamäki, recorder, Petri Arvo, recorder and Mikko Ikäheimo, theorbo

  • First performance (c) on April 15, 2014, in Budapest, Hungary by Mirko Jevtovic and Nikolina Furic

  • First performance (d) on May 25, 2016, in Tel Aviv, Israel by Izhar Elias, guitar, Alon Sariel, mandolin and Michael Tsalka, piano

  • First performance (e) on September 20, 2020, in Helsinki, Finland by Jonne Grans, guitar, Pontus Grans, contrabass and Ari Lehtonen, accordion




Nowadays, in the times of smartphones and digital gadgets, we don't have to worry so much about winding our timepieces. There's no need to keep the pendulum moving and the clocks ticking. As the title suggests, this work is a journey inside a clockwork. The world of different-sized gearwheels, springs and winding knobs is a fascinating and complex labyrinth: all the little parts work together, producing the familiar tick-tock sound. Like a grandfather's clock, this piece starts with a heavy ticking sound of 60 beats per minute. The exploration of the mechanics continues, and all the new tempos and rhythms are in some relation to the original ticking seconds. The end is like a swan song for the soon-obsolete world of clockwork. TR, 2008/2023

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