Fingerpainting
(1993) 5:30
(this made be performed with any number of instruments, as long as each group [brass, winds, percussion] is represented)
Woodwinds: Flute 1, 2; Oboe; Bb Clarinet 1,2,3; Bass
Clarinet; Bassoon; Alto Saxophone 1,2; Tenor Saxophone; Baritone Saxophone
Brass: Bb Trumpet 1,2,3 (with straight mutes); French Horn 1,2; Trombone 1,2,3 (3 shares part with Baritone); Tuba Percussion: Timpani; Glockenspiel; Xylophone (and/or Vibraphone on the same part); Chimes
Commissioned by Mark Blanchette for the Harvard Radcliffe Club of Rhode Island
Level: Middle School/ high school/ college
This piece is a four-movement piece, the first movement for percussion alone, the second movement for brass alone, the third movement for woodwinds alone, the fourth movement for the total ensemble - all playing their individual movements again simultaneously. The title suggests the formal structure - no sections end or begin with any clear formal definition. Rather, like the smear of fingerpaints, aural edges are ragged; musicians decide for themselves approximately when to move from one pitch to the next; one gets an impression of melody rather than a classical series of pitches.
Each movement consists of three performance techniques. Musicians must execute melody, pulse or wave.
Medieval philosophers had great belief in the power of shapes and designs. The Magic Square was an incantation in Latin that presented its own elements no matter which direction one reads in the square. The Latin magic words were Opera, Sator, Arepo, Rotas, Tenet
R O T A S
O P E R A
T E N E T
A R E P O
S A T O R
Like the Medieval Magic Square, the form of Finger-Painting reads the same from any direction.
Cues 1-3; Cues 4,5,1-a; Cues 2-a-5a
Winds; Wave; Melody; Puls
Brass; Pulse; Wave; Melody
Percussion; Melody; Pulse; Wave
Here is the contrapuntal layout of the individual movements and the composite plan for the fourth movement.
(1993) 5:30
(this made be performed with any number of instruments, as long as each group [brass, winds, percussion] is represented)
Woodwinds: Flute 1, 2; Oboe; Bb Clarinet 1,2,3; Bass
Clarinet; Bassoon; Alto Saxophone 1,2; Tenor Saxophone; Baritone Saxophone
Brass: Bb Trumpet 1,2,3 (with straight mutes); French Horn 1,2; Trombone 1,2,3 (3 shares part with Baritone); Tuba Percussion: Timpani; Glockenspiel; Xylophone (and/or Vibraphone on the same part); Chimes
Commissioned by Mark Blanchette for the Harvard Radcliffe Club of Rhode Island
Level: Middle School/ high school/ college
This piece is a four-movement piece, the first movement for percussion alone, the second movement for brass alone, the third movement for woodwinds alone, the fourth movement for the total ensemble - all playing their individual movements again simultaneously. The title suggests the formal structure - no sections end or begin with any clear formal definition. Rather, like the smear of fingerpaints, aural edges are ragged; musicians decide for themselves approximately when to move from one pitch to the next; one gets an impression of melody rather than a classical series of pitches.
Each movement consists of three performance techniques. Musicians must execute melody, pulse or wave.
Medieval philosophers had great belief in the power of shapes and designs. The Magic Square was an incantation in Latin that presented its own elements no matter which direction one reads in the square. The Latin magic words were Opera, Sator, Arepo, Rotas, Tenet
R O T A S
O P E R A
T E N E T
A R E P O
S A T O R
Like the Medieval Magic Square, the form of Finger-Painting reads the same from any direction.
Cues 1-3; Cues 4,5,1-a; Cues 2-a-5a
Winds; Wave; Melody; Puls
Brass; Pulse; Wave; Melody
Percussion; Melody; Pulse; Wave
Here is the contrapuntal layout of the individual movements and the composite plan for the fourth movement.
|
Cue
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 |
Winds
Wave Wave Wave Melody Melody Melody Pulse Pulse Pulse Pulse |
Brass
Pulse Pulse Pulse Wave Wave Wave Melody Melody Melody Melody |
Percussion
Melody Melody Melody Pulse Pulse Pulse Wave Wave Wave Wave |