Parabolysis

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This piece is the result of the intersection of a number of ideas growing out of the instrumentation of the Pierrot Ensemble plus Viola.  Using a theoretical highest note of the high instruments and the lowest note of the low instruments from the ancillary members of each of the woodwinds (Piccolo and Bass Clarinet), and the high and low members of the strings (Violin and Violoncello), a latticework of intersecting ascending and descending overtone series from these notes was constructed and used to derive all of the pitch material of the piece.  Beneath this, the Viola and Piano iterate a chordal rhythmic pattern (derived specifically from the point of the overtone series’ intersection) which becomes more ostinato-like as the tempo increases throughout the piece.  Atop this craggy fabric is laid a series of quasi-improvisatory melodic arcs given in turn to all of the instruments (piano excluded) that follow parabolic trajectories.  At each parabola’s vertices (the points at which direction changes) time is elongated and suspended.  These elongations and suspensions culminate in paralytic climax, after which the tempos increase exponentially, so much so that the final melodic parabola finishes its arc after the piece has “finished.”

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quarter=48 — quarter=20 (Spacial) — quarter=48 — quarter=20 (Spacial) — quarter=60 — quarter=24 — quarter=30 — quarter=20 (Spacial) — quarter=40 — quarter=60 — quarter=20 (Spacial) — quarter=60 — quarter=80 — quarter=20 (Spacial) — quarter=80 — quarter=160

Juventas New Music Ensemble