violin and harp
9’30”
composed 2006
commissioned and premiered by The Jolles Duo (New York, New York)
Composer’s Note
Rewind is a single movement work that mimics the continuous acceleration of a cassette tape rewinding. Beginning very slow and uneven, hints of musical ideas attempt to emerge from an otherwise static, yet unstable, pedal tone. Eventually, these ideas begin to form into coherent musical motives as the work gradually picks up energy and speed. This does lead to a greater clarity of musical idea, eventually culminating in a dance that characterizes the second half of the work. Although some stability is achieved at the halfway point, this is short lived as the acceleration is fated to continue. Eventually, the speed of the work overwhelms all musical ideas, leaving instead a torrent of "flash and panache" that ends with an abrupt snap of sound.
Many thanks to the Jolles Duo for commissioning Rewind.