large orchestra: 3333 – 4331 – timpani, 4 percussion – piano – strings
(These previews are of the first movement, James. The other movements have not been recorded, but scores may be acquired by contacting me.)
Program Notes:
(from my Master’s Thesis Proposal) …While there is no literal translation of literary ideas into musical form, the ideas discussed above serve as inspiration for the overall feel of the work. I plan to write James as a process piece, based off of the two major themes of Hook’s character. The first theme is Hook’s obsession with “good form.” This, to me, signifies a nod to the kind of structure, tradition, and context that we associate with Eighteenth-Century counterpoint, the great equalizer amongst composers. I plan to use these techniques to begin the piece, and then slowly abandon them over time, as Hook seems only to pay homage to “good form” when it suits him. This breakdown of form coincides with Hook’s second obsession and the focus of the second process, the passage of time. Beginning with a “ticking clock” ostinato, the passing of time (ticks at 60 beats-per- minute) forms a major structural feature, which serves to hold the deconstruction of the “good form” together, as the independent lines interact with the ostinato. As the piece progresses forward, excitement builds to a climax by accelerating the tempo through its relationship to the ostinato (pulse equaling 60 bpm, 90 bpm, 120 bpm, 180 bpm, etc.). The movement ends with a return to the initial “ticking clock” that began the movement.