| Vortices | ||
| for orchestra | ||
| Year: 2001-2002 | ||
| Duration: 13' | ||
| First Performance: 13 July 2002 NJPAC Newark, NJ | ||
| New Jersey Symphony, Lawrence Leighton Smith | ||
| Orchestration: | ||
| 3 (I=picc.).3 (III=cor A).2.bcl.3- 4.3.3.1- timp.- perc. (3): xyl./chimes/crot./lg., med. susp. cymbs./chinese cymb.; BD/mar./glock./3 tpl. bl./mtl. wind chimes/large ratchet/2nd BD; vib./tam-t/sm. susp. cymb./SD/ 4 tom-t/bongos- harp- piano (=cel.)- strings | ||
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Please note that the MP3 excerpt is reflected on pages 48-58 in the score. |
Program Notes: Vortices was originally composed in great haste during the last two weeks of January 2000. It was then performed for the first time under the name Untitled on February 25th of the same year with the Manhattan School of Music Composers’ Orchestra, conducted by Glen Barton Cortese. The following fall, I revised the piece considerably, trying to fully bring the idea of a vortex into play. Although always an integral part of the idea of the piece, it was only at this time that I was able to realize this concept, inherent in the thematic textures created from rhythms that accelerate and then slow down in different combinations of woodwind and percussion instruments. Amidst these rhythmic textures is also a wide assortment of "swirls, eddies, and cosmic clouds" of sound, made by overlapping tuplets of different instrumental colors. In a dramatic sense, the piece is also somewhat like a vortex. It climbs up to a "whirling" frenzy during the climax of the piece, and then settles into a ominously serene, floating haze of strings. "Bubbles" of woodwind and percussion color rise to the surface while a solo violin and cello duet reiterates the opening melodic theme in an intimate, yet emotionally charged cadenza. After the climax of the duet, the orchestra begins whirling once more before a disintegrating "explosion" marks the end of the piece. The New Jersey Symphony gave the official premiere of the revised version of the work on July 13, 2002 with Lawrence Leighton Smith conducting. Although a relatively new work, Vortices borrows much from two earlier pieces- Samsara and the Duet for Violin and Cello. Unfortunately, due to unreasonable rules laid out by the American Federation of Musicians, I have been unable to receive a tape of the performance, which has been a great source of pain in my life :-( As a consequence, the MP3 link on this page is to a recording of the first reading of the work from the Manhattan School of Music concert mentioned above. The excerpt is relatively the same as in the new version, and the soloists on this recording did a great job :-) I guess I should be thankful for small things, but it's apparent that the musicians union doesn't work for me, even though I am a musician...
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