Ford’s Farm by Mason Bates, Violin

Sydney L.

• Artist Statement

  Commissioned by famed violinist Hilary Hahn in 2013, Ford's Farm is a playful showpiece that encapsulates the pastoral lifestyle. As the piece opens, imagine a landscape of rolling hills, with livestock leisurely grazing on the grass. In the distance, grapevines stretch as far as the eye can see. Later, as the piece is consumed by quick, light 16th notes and dotted with sudden, sporadic accents, the image of buzzing mosquitoes on a hot, muggy July day vividly pops into my head.

• Creative Statement

  With every note, I am a painter. I see music in vignettes—short, vibrant stories which take shape through my playing. When I make music, I feel transported to a dream-like world, unbounded by the limits of time and space. Music feels liberating, and that’s why I enjoy it so much.