flute, clarinet, bassoon, violin, viola, cello, and piano
16’00”
composed 2001
commissioned by and premiered by the Indiana University New Music Ensemble (Bloomington, Indiana)
Composer’s Note
Shortly after the attacks of September 11th, 2001, several newspaper columnists and editorialists remarked upon the tragedy’s impact upon our society. Many said that this event ended an Age of Irony – a time where nothing was real or to be taken seriously. Violence was commonplace, media sensationalism was mandatory, and a growing out-of-control sense of nationalism was developing in response. In this composition, these three emotions – violence, sensationalism, and nationalism – are used to form the emotional foundation of the three middle movements of the work.
The second movement, “The Most Incredible Thing”, depicts raw innocent violence – the type shared with the Hans Christian Anderson story of the same name. This story illustrates how the most beautiful of things – in the story’s case, an incredibly beautiful and intricate clock – can be destroyed so easily by naïve whimsy (or an ax). The music is equally as violent, and likewise is destroyed in the end. The third movement, “Images/Afterimages,” illustrates “sensational imagery” alongside lasting, personal imagery. This is represented musically by juxtaposing an angular monophonic melody next to a relaxed, chordal passage. The fourth movement, “March of the Patriots,” pits both the dangers of unabashed patriotism and unabashed cynicism against one-another. The end result is a sarcastic march that spins out-of-control at a very rapid rate.
The middle movements are framed by a Prelude and Postlude. The Postlude, entitled “Rebirth,” sets aside all of the dissonance of the previous movements in an optimistic attempt to rebuild and grow beyond it all – to become something even better as a result of tragedy. The Prelude, entitled “Hymn of Mourning,” is my own personal nod to those who lost their lives as a result of these terrible attacks.
Dedicated to all the families who lost their loved ones on September 11, 2001.
Commissioned by the Indiana University New Music Ensemble in fulfillment of the 2001 Indiana University Dean's Prize.