a weeping singularity . . . a blanket of far-reaching molten light
Dante Palmieri
About this work:
This piece is based on a stream of consciousness form where combinations of elements interweave, interfering with memory and annihilating the sense of achieving a goal. It draws a lot from Messiaen and Feldman: a type of color collage like that of a stained glass window where the whole is made up of separate parts; A constantly shifting, yet specifically defined element.
The soprano sings in an invented language that was tailored to the attacks and releases of notes. I feel that it lends a surreal quality to the piece by using the voice as another instrument. The only instrument which could convey a literal message is placed in an unfamiliar realm.
The thematic structure was assembled from instrumentally idiomatic translations of the source material.
Duration is approximately two and a half minutes.
It is dedicated to the ensemble thingNY who premiered it on December 15th, 2012 as part of their concert SPAM 3.0.
The final systems use a notation I borrowed from Morton Feldman. It conveys the nature of that passage better than using ties, although the effect would be the same.
Year composed: 2012
Duration: 00:03:00
Ensemble type: Voice, Solo or With Chamber or Jazz Ensemble:Voice with Chamber/Jazz Ensemble, 2-5 Players
Instrumentation: 1 Clarinet, 1 Alto Saxophone, 1 Violin, 1 Soprano