Cultural Studies
marc faris
About this work:
This composition represents one logical outcome of my recent researches into issues of musical style and competence. It brings together gestures, formal concerns, and performance practices from rock and classical traditions and, in so doing, problematizes common perceptions of the boundaries and relationships between these fields of musical activity. A recent trend in concert music has involved the espousal of rock rhythm and/or harmony as a kind of musical flavoring. This methodology tends to frame “rock” as a monolithic and undifferentiated construct, an exotic Other. In Cultural Studies, by contrast, I seek to force rock and classical traditions “outside themselves” and into a new space, in order to highlight details and complexities below the surface. Ultimately, the piece is intended not so much to focus attention on the differences between each tradition, but more to suggest a new communicative common ground for both musicians and audience.
Cultural Studies is written for three quartets, playing both as separate units and as a cohesive ensemble. The work is cast in five continuous sections, alternating between large “movements” and shorter interludes. The music moves gradually from calm restraint to complete abandon, though never in a straight line. Arch and mirror forms predominate, and a three-note motif (C#-D-E) is the seed for much of the pitch material. The musicians are required to improvise, to count in new ways, to hear new timbres and rhythms, and to rethink their roles as performers and ensemble members.
Cultural Studies is dedicated to all the musicians who’ve entertained my crazy ideas over the years.
Year composed: 2003
Duration: 00:26:53
Ensemble type: Chamber or Jazz Ensemble, Without Voice:Other Combinations, 10+ players
Instrumentation: 1 Horn in F, 2 Trumpet, 1 Trombone, 1 Drum Set, 2 Violin, 1 Viola, 1 Cello, 1 Electric Bass, 2 Electric Guitar
Instrumentation notes: String quartet is amplified