Australian Music Centre | Breaking sound barriers

Work Overview

The melodic structure of The Eyes of Omnipotence is based upon variations on a six-chord progression that explores quintal harmony - the five-pitch-class chord voicings spanning a range of more than two octaves, and made up of perfect intervals, utilizing the tonic, perfect fifth, octave, major ninth, major thirteenth, as well as the major third. The work set in a 7/8 meter that continually shifts between a '2 + 2 + 3' pattern and its mirror form of '3 + 2 + 2', hence reflecting a two-measure rhythmically palindromic structure. Textures explored include conventional polyphony and homophony, as well as other compositional devices such as imitation, hocket and multi-track polyphony, a twentieth-century term befitting the frequent use of the six-part choir not merely contrapuntally, but as a group of independent entities. The text of 'The Eyes of Omnipotence' attempts to present man's endless battle of good over evil - the simultaneous attraction to 'honour and shame', 'creation and destruction', and the self-justification that follows. The point being that in spite of the promise delivered by the good omens of omnipotence, providence, benevolence and opulence, the blind continue to be blinded forever more…

Work Details

Year: 2000

Instrumentation: SSATBB choir.

Duration: 5 min.

Difficulty: Advanced — Tertiary student.

First performance: by University of Melbourne Composition Choir, Hildy Essex — 8 Jun 01. Ormond College Chapel, Parkville, Melbourne

The composer notes the following styles, genres, influences, etc associated with this work:
Quintal harmony

Text by the composer.