Skatoma for alto saxophone and piano
Randolph L. Partain
About this work:
The product of a commission from pianist Sergio Ruiz, Skatoma is formally organized based around the principles of expansion and contraction. Four sections of varying musical material are repeated three times in an evolving sequence, each section characterized more by discernible stylistic qualities than exact repetition. The title of the work comes from the Greek word for darkness, scotoma, commonly used to refer to the "blind spot."
Cognitive psychologists define the word skatoma as a mental blind spot, which is basically a defense mechanism the mind employs to preserve sanity. When reality breaks with one's beliefs, a skatoma may arise as an instinctive act of denial to prevent a catastrophic psychological reaction. Examples of this can be seen in individuals who remain in abusive situations because they cannot bring themselves to believe the truth about another's violence, or even in people who maintain negative stereotypes despite ample contradictory evidence. In this work for alto saxophone and piano, the representation of a harsh reality which could prompt the development of a mental blind spot continues to present itself so persistently that it ultimately cannot be denied.
Year composed: 2006
Duration: 00:12:00
Ensemble type: Chamber or Jazz Ensemble, Without Voice:Keyboard plus One Instrument
Instrumentation: 1 Alto Saxophone, 1 Piano