Crucible
Kris Peysen
About this work:
A crucible is a container in which various metals are melted in order to shape them into something new. They are subjected to intense heat, which will make them malleable and thus able to be shaped into the desired configuration. I titled my piece Crucible because, much like the metals, my musical material undergoes a similar transformation. The piece starts out very fragmented, but also full of energy, as if unknowing of how to progress. Eventually the piece settles into a calmer section, where various melodies and motives are allowed to breathe for the first time. From this repose comes, for the first time, a firm sense of direction for the piece, so that when the energy of the first section makes a return, it is now focused. The overall trajectory of the piece is one of disparate motives being subjected to a crucible - they start out chaotic, begin to find meaning in the mixing and intermingling of themselves, and finally are able to explode into a thinly-focused rage.
Year composed: 2008
Duration: 00:07:00
Ensemble type: Chamber or Jazz Ensemble, Without Voice:Other Combinations, 2-5 players
Instrumentation: 2 Trumpet, 1 Trombone, 1 Bass Trombone, 1 Timpani