Suite No.1 'Liturgical' Hommage a Honegger was composed in 2011 as a tribute to Arthur Honegger (1892-1955) and influenced by his Liturgical Symphony. The main theme of the suite is the inspiration of medieval Latin spiritual texts and also reflection on the eternal and never-ending battle between good/love and evil/temptation, from which the winner is the faith in the good and hope.

Suite No.1 is technically demanding, employing modern and post-modern musical principles, ensuring a clarity for the audience and also idiomatic for the double bass. Modern and historical styles sit side by side.

The unifying element of the suite is questioning motif which appears at the beginning of the Praeludium and permeates the entire piece. This question indicates that we choose the path we must follow.

Suite No.1 'Liturgical' received its UK premiere by David Heyes on 16 August 2014 at Templecombe Hall.

CORRECTIONS:
1. Praeludium - bar 29 E should be flat
2. Dies Irae - bar 52 - first chord should be open A and E strings
6. Postludium - bar 17 - first chord is G natural and F sharp

Tomas Karpisek was born in Plzen, Czech Republic in 1991 and began to play the double bass at the age of 11. He first studied at Plzen Conservatoire, later with prof. Petr Ries at Prague Conservatoire, and subsequently with Prof. Jiri Hudec at the Academy of Music & Performing Arts in Prague.

Tomas Karpisek studied for a Ph.D in composition at Plzen Conservatoire with Jiri Bezdek and has been a prize winner in many prestigious double bass competitions. He has recently graduated from the Orchestral Academy of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra which he has combined with performing in many styles of music, including chamber, folk, orchestral and jazz. He has performed throughout the Czech Republic and also in Mexico, China, Kasakhstan, Russia, Lithuania, Hungary, Bulgaria, Sweden, Belgium, Germany, Italy, France, Austria and Lichtenstein.