Melting, Vaporizing: Condensation Sublimation

Melting, Vaporizing: Condensation Sublimation

3 Coincident Sounding Phase Transitions for Violoncello and Cimbalom

(2009) (c.9′)


The structure of this piece revolves around a sonic representation of overlapping physical phase transitions.  The first movement involves a move from solid to liquid.  The second movement both reverses this transition in the Cimbalom with a move back to solid while the cello transforms from liquid into a gas.  The last movement completes the cycle of liquid – gas – liquid in the cello while simultaneously continuing a new cycle begun in the second movement of gas – solid – gas.  The pitch materials rely heavily on the cello’s open strings and how they relate to both the extreme and midpoint pitches on each bridge of the Cimbalom.


  1. Solid — Liquid (Melting) Liquid — [Solid] (Freezing)
  2. [Liquid] — Gas (Evaporation) Gas — [Liquid] (Condensation)
  3. [Gas] — Solid (Deposition) Solid — Gas (Sublimation)

Ludovico Ensemble (Eliza Jacques, Violoncello; Nick Tolle, Cimbalom)