The point of departure of the work is the duality of outer and inner existence, here interpretated through the life, music and destiny of Renaissance composer Gesualdo da Venoza. Alias is however not an attempt to illustrate the shifting identitys of Gesualdo, but is rather, in a wider sense, inspired by thoughts on the relationship between the artist and the work of art.Alias is comprised of two movements the first of which is based upon the text ”Restore, restore my heart again, which love by thy sweet looks hath slain.” from a lovesong by John Dowland ( contemporary to Gesualdo ). The phrase is processed and developed in a movement with a clearly musicianly attitude. The second movement is an attempt to sketch a slightly surrealistic picture of what could possibly have been happening within the mind of the aging composer an wife-murderer Gesualdo.This done using quotations from some of Gesualdos late motetts, as well as blending in the Dowland lovesong, now in its original form. The athmosphere of strange, transforming musical identitys is created through use of advanced digital signal processing in various forms.The female voicepart is sung by Astrid P. Hartmann.
Alias was commisioned by the Swedish Royal Academy of Music, and was premiered at ”Stockholm New Music” 1990. Alias recieved a first prize in the Bourges festival 1991.