 Apostille was composed in 1993 to a commission from Gerard Gillen, who gave the first
performance in September 1994 in St Michael's Church, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin.
The title refers to a marginal note or codicil. Other works of mine have
such titles as Epilogue, Aprèslude, or After-pieces, titles
which suggest post-modern sense of "coming after", as well as Ecarts or
Excursus, suggesting
a valorisation of the marginal. The work presents three drastically contrasted
types of material - the icy, inexpressive music of the opening, fast-moving
agitated material, and an unctuous pseudo-romantic harmonic sequence that,
although we have heard it before, is not a quotation. These three worlds intersect
and collide, fail to be reconciled, and go their own separate ways. Nevertheless,
the ending is an apotheosis of sorts. 
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