The Starry Dynamo
William Susman
About this work:
First performance of this work was given by the ensemble Alternate Currents in San Francisco in 1994.
The work is inspired by the poem HOWL by Allen Ginsberg and the title taken from a line. As with much of Susman's music from the 1990s, here he sets montuño rhythms in a colorful and frenetic counterpoint scored with the "Pierrot Ensemble" instrumentation of flute, clarinet, violin, cello and piano.
Much of Susman's music of the 90s and beyond explore the repetitive rhythms heard in Afro-Cuban music. One such gesture is the montuño a repeated syncopated line or obligato often assigned to the piano which outlines the harmonic structure. Susman also uses medieval rhythmic and counterpuntal devices called hocket and isorhythm.
Year composed: 1994
Duration: 00:14:00
Ensemble type: Chamber or Jazz Ensemble, Without Voice:Other Combinations, 2-5 players
Instrumentation: 1 Flute, 1 Clarinet, 1 Piano, 1 Violin, 1 Cello
Instrumentation notes: Clarinet in Bb