Patchwork
Doug Opel
About this work:
Patchwork was initially read as a 3-4 minute sketch in fulfillment of requirements for the Contemporary Performance and Composition Course at the Britten-Pears School for Advanced Music Studies in Aldeburgh/Snape, Suffolk, England. My assignment there was to write a piece that was practically "sight-readable" (!). Here, in its full version, I have attempted to maintain that standard while leaning toward something a little more challenging for the performers. Like many of my previous works, Patchwork represents my on-going interest in the use of stereotypes (both musical and extra-musical) to generate the material and subject matter of a piece. Here, gestures common to each instrument or instrument family merge into large cohesive wholes. Local variation and development are kept to a minimum so that the individual character of each is immediately recognizable. Formal development occurs through simple reordering of the gestures.
Version: Chamber Orchestra
Year composed: 1998
Duration: 00:10:00
Ensemble type: Chamber or Jazz Ensemble, Without Voice:Other Combinations, 10+ players
Instrumentation: 1 Piccolo, 1 Oboe, 1 Eb Clarinet, 1 Contrabassoon, 1 Horn in F, 1 Trumpet, 1 Trombone, 1 Percussion (General), 1 Piano, 2 Violin, 1 Viola, 1 Cello, 1 Double bass