take time
Ketty Nez
About this work:
Written for David Martins and the Boston University Wind Ensemble in the summer of 2006, "take time" plays with changing our perception of shifting tempi among simultaneous as well as successive layers of music, and how these incongruities are affected by how static or “permeable” a pitch, and collection of pitches, appear in context.
As compositional starting point, a cycle of seventh chords was generated from roots which formed interlocking cycles of minor seconds and minor thirds: . In addition, several streams of chordal sonorities were generated using controlled random probabilities, slowly descending or ascending, note by note, but not in an exactly predictable manner. Imposed on the resulting raw pitch “fabric” were several algorithms of accelerating and decelerating curves of attack times, and statistical control of changing average density of note attacks for a particular layer of musical texture.
The manic figuration bordering on “out of control,” and energetic driving rhythms, were inspired by Eric Dolphy’s visceral improvisations. The sonorities are an allusion to Louis Andriessen’s clangorous Stravinsky-plus-jazz chords, which always leave a memorable impression long after the hearing.
Year composed: 2006
Duration: 00:11:30
Ensemble type: Band:Wind Ensemble
Instrumentation: