Restless Winds
Faye-Ellen1 Silverman
About this work:
As the name of the woodwind quintet that commissioned this work is Con Spirito, the title “Restless Winds” immediately came to mind. In this short work, five different ideas – each with distinct tempo, timbre, and melodic or gestural material – are intercut. No idea remains present for too long, however, since the winds are too “restless” to stay on a conventional course. The ordering of these ideas (which often vary with each appearance) is meant to seem unpredictable. The nonchalant bassoon material – a meandering melody that continually gets diverted – unifies the composition via its appearance at the beginning, end, and within the work. As with the title (and, hence, with the form), the dance-like nature of some of the main ideas also derives from free association with the name Con Spirito.
Year composed: 1986
Duration: 00:05:00
Ensemble type: Chamber or Jazz Ensemble, Without Voice:Woodwind Quintet
Instrumentation: 1 Flute, 1 Oboe, 1 Clarinet, 1 Bassoon, 1 Horn in F