ENTROPY
Mark Koval
About this work:
Entropy is based on a lyrical theme that is developed through a series of variations. Over time, these variations volatize, collapse, and eventually resolve into nothingness. The composer writes:
“As a scientific term, entropy describes the tendency of all matter to move toward disorder until it achieves a state of inert uniformity. The term has also been used philosophically to describe doctrines of social decline and degeneration. Such meaning is applied as parable here, alluding to the spiritual chaos that engenders the loss of innocence. Just as the Universe is a system subject to the pull of entropy - countries, villages, and families are also prone to such influence. The effects of entropy can be seen on the individual level, in the emotional and physical changes that impact our lives. As the porches of our homes lean and sag from their years of exposure, so can the heart sink, from a pattern of loss, fear, and cynicism.
In composing Entropy, I was influenced by the work of the Futurist artists, where various images of an object in motion are presented simultaneously, creating a fractured effect. The oscillation of timbre and the natural decay of sound are important aspects of the piece, and there is an exaggerated use of dynamics that becomes, in a sense, a form of counterpoint.”
Year composed: 2001
Duration: 00:15:00
Ensemble type: Orchestra:Standard Orchestra
Instrumentation: 1 Piccolo, 2 Flute, 1 Alto Flute, 2 Oboe, 1 English Horn, 3 Clarinet, 1 Bass Clarinet, 2 Bassoon, 1 Contrabassoon, 4 Horn in F, 4 Trumpet, 2 Trombone, 1 Bass Trombone, 1 Tuba, 1 Timpani, 4 Percussion (General), 1 Piano, 1 Strings (General), 1 Harp
Instrumentation notes: For orchestra (4-3-4-3, 4-4-3-1, timp + 4,
piano, harp, strings)