The piece is somehow inspired by the two meanings that are debated around the concept of
homeomeria, whose conception is attributed, not without controversy, to the pre-Socratic
philosopher Anaxagoras. The first, which some attribute to Aristotle, defines it as “an entity
whose parts are similar to each other and similar to the whole”. It is close to the modern
concept of fractal, a structure that is made of parts that have the same statistical character as
the whole. The second meaning is often summed up in the phrase "All other things have a part
of everything."
The piece is built from a superposition of repeated sequences, each of which refers to different
dimensions of sound: a melodic sequence, a rhythmic sequence, a timbral sequence; each with
different durations. This superposition gives the impression of always revolving around the same
elements, which, however, appear each time varied by the interaction of said sequences (which,
due to their different duration, always produce different results). In addition, the same elements
are present throughout the entire piece, the sections being defined by the predominance of one
of them over the rest; which is related to the second meaning exposed above.
The first sketches of this piece were inspired by the second part of the theme “Jitterbug (junior
is a)” by British band Cardiacs, to the memory of whose leader (Tim Smith) this work is dedicated.
Recording Notes
Recorded at Marin Theater, New York, within the framework of the Atlanticx Composition Course