flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, French horn, trumpet, trombone, and string bass
4’30”
composed 2007
commissioned and premiered by the Empyrean Ensemble (Davis, California)
Composer’s Note
In recent years, the phenomenon known as internet blogging has given rise to the armchair journalist. Every individual has now both the access and the will to share their opinions with the world, regardless of how informed or knowledgeable they are. In many respects, this free-flowing sharing of ideas both ingenious and inane is the pinnacle of free speech in our society. However, this freedom has also led to an engorgement of information where it is now very difficult to discern fact from fiction. It is ironic, then, that some internet blogs have adopted the term clog to describe themselves.
The term is currently used as an abbreviation for “concert blog,” or “community blog,” or, perhaps most ironically, “corporate blog.” Whether intentional or not, the term also accurately describes the blockage of information that has resulted from an overflow of punditry and opinion. Our news is now clogged, and as a result our society is not receptive to any information, true or false. An overflow of speech has resulted in no listeners. Clog musically portrays this cacophony of information. Several musical ideas compete against one another for consideration as the main theme, rather than working together contrapuntally. With each new idea, the piece gains mass and volume, but looses intelligibility.
As the texture builds, the piece swells and bloats until being forced to come to a complete stand-still as a result of its own girth. The resulting explosion that occurs shortly afterward is thus the natural result of a need to release pressure behind this blockage of musical waste.
Composed for the Empyrean Ensemble.