Symphony of Simple Forms
Robert McCauley
About this work:
This piece was meant to be a simplification of ideas I had been experimenting with in the use of melody and tonal centers. Though the tones vary from single notes to clusters, each tune is clear and effervescent. "Almost Symphonic", the first movement, takes the notion of building a melody with stark accompaniment, through the accumulation of a dyad in the second, then clusters of 3 and four notes in the third and fourth themes, through a short development, leading back to a glowing recap of the first 3 themes. Is this an overture, a symphonic form, or both. You decide.
"Intermezzo", the second movement, is an ABA form with based on a 34 measure chord progression played by the piano in the A section, the low strings in the B section. The A sections comprise of a simple solo melody shared by the cello, then viola, then violin. The B section has the orchestra throwing soloistic fireworks around the A progression, but a half step higher. The return of the final A is again a half step higher, but the solo string melody and the solo fireworks overlap and compliment each other.
"Rondo With Round" has a mad tune of single notes and clusters in the trumpets against a march rhythm in the snare. This returns again and again, gathering more clusters from other instruments as it goes along. Interrupted by a wind feature, a string feature, and the round in the title, the rondo theme burbles along its merry way until half the orchestra joins in at the last repeat. The theme then falls apart, measure by measure, ending with a single triangle stroke.
Year composed: 2005
Duration: 00:14:22
Ensemble type: Orchestra:Standard Orchestra
Instrumentation: 3 Flute, 2 Oboe, 1 English Horn, 3 Bassoon, 4 Horn in F, 3 Trumpet, 2 Trombone, 1 Bass Trombone, 1 Tuba, 1 Timpani, 2 Percussion (General), 1 Piano, 68 Strings (General)
Instrumentation notes: Third flute doubles alto flute.