The Indian philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti taught that “truth is a pathless land,” a saying intended to caution the listener against following gods and gurus. While composing this piece, I entered my own kind of pathless land. As in many of my recent works, I derived the piece’s materials from the names of the performers for… Continue reading Mercy in a Pathless Land
Category: Chamber
What’s in a Name?
Most of my recent compositions have been composed using the names of the performers for whom the piece was written as seeds for the basic materials. While composing What’s in a Name? I was reflecting on the fact that all of the “name compositions” before this piece are solo works. I found that working with… Continue reading What’s in a Name?
Tears – A setting of Text by Allen Ginsberg
When I was a teenager my father, perhaps to his regret, introduced me to the writings of the so-called “beat generation” authors. I quickly developed a fascination and admiration for their work. The text for this piece, Tears, is a 1956 poem by Allen Ginsberg. I found the poem to be extremely evocative for a… Continue reading Tears – A setting of Text by Allen Ginsberg
Reflection no. 2
Reflection no. 2 was composed for the 2020 Cazenovia Counterpoint Festival in Cazenovia, New York. It was premiered at the Rising Stars concert on July 28th, 2020, a program which featured young, award winning performers. Reflection no. 2 for Flute and Piano is a continuation of the sound world of Reflection no. 1 for piano… Continue reading Reflection no. 2
Reed Quintet no. 1 ( Reading by Akropolis Reed Quintet )
Reed Quintet no. 1 was a piece composed in the Fall of 2019. It was composed in contradiction to what had been my usual process – a process in which pitched materials were generated through highly determinate ordered pitch-class sets. Each movement began as one of these “process pieces.” However, after composing each movement systematically,… Continue reading Reed Quintet no. 1 ( Reading by Akropolis Reed Quintet )
String Quartet no. 2 – “The Void”
This piece was inspired by the 36th koan listed in Nyogen Senzaki’s collection of 100 Zen Koans, The Iron Flute. 1It reads: 36. Where to Meet After Death Tao-wu paid a visit to his sick brother monk, Yun-yen. “Where can I see you again, if you die and leave only your corpse here?” asked the… Continue reading String Quartet no. 2 – “The Void”
Distances
Distances for Trumpet Octet is a piece which entertains concepts of distances in various musical ways. Throughout the piece the listener will notice spatial changes within the ensemble, so that parts which compliment one another are sometimes heard close together, and at other times from across the ensemble. Spatial considerations are used to enhance rhythmic… Continue reading Distances
String Quartet no. 1
This String Quartet is made up of three movements with the two outer movements serving as mirrored poles and a contrasting second movement in the middle. The piece is very free but the first and third movements are comprised (almost) entirely of a repetitive intervallic pattern which is cut up and manipulated in many ways,… Continue reading String Quartet no. 1
Winston Smith Enters Room 101
Winston Smith Enters Room 101 is a piece inspired by George Orwell’s 1984. All of the spoken portions of the piece are lines borrowed from the novel. The intention of the music is to characterize the state of mind of Winston Smith, the book’s protagonist, when he is tortured and dehumanized in Room 101 –… Continue reading Winston Smith Enters Room 101
With the Shapes
With the Shapes is a sort of compound piece made up of two entirely different settings of the same text by Michael McClure – Song (I work with the Shape). The first setting, for female voice (alto) and piano treats the poem with mystery and ambiguity. The second setting, for male voice (bass/baritone) and guitar,… Continue reading With the Shapes