Uprising
William Susman
About this work:
First performance by David Holzman at the Greenwich House in NYC 1992. The recording here by David Holzman was recorded at Skywalker Sound in 2004.
The work takes it's title from the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, which was the only unified attack by citizens in a metropolis, that for a time successfully fought off the Nazis.
This work is similar in construction and sound to Susman's chamber work "Twisted Figures", 2nd quartet "Up to the Sky" and orchestral work also entitled "Uprising". The predominant gesture or melodic line incessantly rises while curving back on itself, an effect that appears to go upwards in pitch forever".
First explored by Susman in his widely performed "Trailing Vortices" (1986) this acoustic phenomenon is called Shepard tones named after its discoverer Cognitive Psychologist Roger Shepard.
The rhythmic technical prowess involved in successfully performing this work especially the opening bars are only for a small number of pianists. It may be that Susman's ideas from this period are more successfully executed with ensembles.
Uprising (1988) along with Floating Falling (1987) and Twisted Figures (1988) are works which begin to explore repetitive rhythms. These works look forward to his montuño / Afro-Cuban influenced music of the 90s and away from an older Eurocentric aesthetic.
Version: Piano Version
Year composed: 1988
Duration: 00:13:30
Ensemble type: Keyboard:Piano
Instrumentation: 1 Piano
Instrumentation notes: technically complex rhythmic counterpoint. requires technical virtuosity.