THE PHOENIX
Christopher Kaufman
About this work:
Awaits Premiere. Arriving at the material with which this music deals (i.e. the events of 9/11) was not a simple process. It involved the suggestion of friends, personal experiences, and the opportunity to compose an orchestral piece for a particular event. I composed THE PHOENIX August 14th through September 20th (2002). The material is presented through the universality of myth and symbol.
After the opening ‘movement’ (‘Clouds of Memory’), THE PHOENIX focuses on ‘transformation’ (‘The Phoenix Awakes’) and ‘celebration’ (‘The City Dances’). The Finale is exuberant, expressive and colorful.
In the first movement, ‘Clouds of Memory’, there is lamentation, outrage, and mystery. Gongs and related effects create an atmosphere in which expressive woodwind solos occur and build up to create a thick texture of voices. Passionate outbursts intercede. There is a theme, stated in the strings, created from the mathematical relationship between the two towers (6 feet of separation between the towers translates into two melodies separated by 6 half steps).
Eleven ‘power-strokes’ featuring tubular bells and gong occur at the end of the first movement and symbolize the time element involved. There are nine strokes... the Phoenix begins to awake... and two more strokes follow in echo.
‘The Phoenix Awakes’.
There are many aspects of the Phoenix myth. In this music my imagination focused on the part of the myth where the Phoenix takes the parent ‘body’ to the ‘Temple in the Sun’ to bury it there. The powerful transforming quality of the sun - the source of all life - is what is presented here, in the brass and percussion -- while the woodwinds and strings create the images of flight. I had in mind’s eye the surface of the sun with its great heat and healing strength... and the energy level appropriate to the subject (i.e. the city of New York).
The Finale begins with New York Fanfares... energetic rhythmic fanfares which serve as a transition from the second to the third movement. Immediately following the first set of fanfares is CITYMUSIC I -- where different kinds of city music are layered; beginning with‘Jazzmusic’, followed by ‘Drums in the Park’, ‘Brass Band’ and ‘City sounds’ (including sirens, police whistles and ‘car horns’ which introduce a rhythmic theme -- ‘New York’). The Fanfares return, followed by CITYMUSIC II . Here the ‘New York’ theme acts as a transition to the last section of the piece which is simply called ‘Dance’.
This last ‘finale’ - a wild, frenzied dance music - has a style and character which reminds me of old New York, but is fresh and new, simple and direct. The music is constantly saying the name of the city and at the end the entire orchestra is, in music, shouting “New York”!
Year composed: 2002
Duration: 00:09:00
Ensemble type: Orchestra:Standard Orchestra
Instrumentation: 1 Piccolo, 2 Flute, 2 Oboe, 1 English Horn, 2 Clarinet, 1 Bass Clarinet, 2 Bassoon, 1 Contrabassoon, 4 Horn in F, 3 Trumpet, 2 Trombone, 1 Bass Trombone, 1 Tuba, 1 Timpani, 3 Percussion (General), 1 Piano, 50 Strings (General)