Patterns, for chamber orchestra

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Chamber Orchestra

2016

Bass Trombone

Bassoon

Brass

Cello

Clarinet

Double Bass

Flute

Horn

Keyboards

Oboe

Percussion

Piano

Pitched Percussion

Strings, bowed

Trombone

Trumpet

Tuba

Unpitched Percussion

Viola

Violin

Winds

Program Notes: PATTERNS is based on a piano etude that I wrote in early 2016 that explores the use of dyads – two notes played simultaneously – rather than triads, or chords – three or more notes played simultaneously – in the development of musical elements. The intervals used are limited to an octave or less throughout the work and is sequenced beginning with a half step progressing to the octave. Each intervallic unit is introduced one at a time in a rhythmic pattern that expands with each addition, and as the intervals expand, so do the metric values of the measures. For example, half steps and whole steps are played in measures that have duple meters (2/4, or 4/8). As the thirds are introduced into the pattern, the meter expands to 5/8, 3/4, 6/8, and so on. As more intervals are introduced into the pattern, eighth notes are added to the metric value of the measure, increasing (4/4, 7/8, 5/4, 11/8) until the full pattern is achieved in 6/4 meter. Later the pattern is broken by random re-arranging of the intervals into a new patterns. The pattern continues with interruptions of various lengths of silence and dynamic variation in an ever-increasing frenzy to the end. The instrumentation used allows for even more variation of the intervallic relationships beyond the octave, however, the integrity of the pattern is maintained within the various instrument groups and ranges.
Recording Notes: Computer mock up