Two for Orchestra

Abstract

Five Minutes and Ix, which together comprise Two for Orchestra, are closely related but independent works. Contrast is the principal theme which unifies the two movements, but each piece is autonomous with regard to compositional materials and structure.

Five Minutes was inspired by a comment made after a new music concert -- the titles of all contemporary compositions should be their respective lengths; that way, the audience would know what to expect. Accordingly, this piece is a musical representation of the subjective "five minutes," connoting a brief, relatively undemanding experience. Five Minutes is divided into three episodes by contrasting rhythmic identity (tempo, contrapuntal activity, etc.). Each episode is somewhat longer than the previous (the approximate ratio between them is 9:11:13), and this varies inversely to the pacing: the shortest episode is the most static whereas the longest is the most dynamic. Within each compact episode there are a large number of succinctly presented musical ideas, with little attempt at any development or synthesis.

Ix is an homage to composer Iannis Xenakis, whose book Formalized Music influenced the compositional techniques with which this piece was constructed. Unlike Five Minutes, Ix is not sectional. Instead of clear boundaries, regions differentiated by texture gradually emerge and disappear. Some regions have only localized influence, e.g. the homophonic texture which opens the piece does not reoccur after measure 42. Other regions affect the piece on a global level, e.g. the second region, typified by the harmonically dominated texture at measure 58, shapes pitch content through measure 277.

The structural contrast of Five Minutes and Ix is an outgrowth of the rhythmic and textural contrasts which internally organize each movement. Contrasts in Five Minutes create clearly demarcated sections, but the contrasts in Ix overlap in such a way that the regions emerge through gradual transitions. Also, due to the independence of each episode in Five Minutes, there are a multitude of melodic, harmonic, rhythmic and textural materials. Ix, however, concentrates on relatively few elements, and the materials are more integrated.