Australian Music Centre | Breaking sound barriers

Work Overview

outside

warm breeze, soft grass, sun

it's strangely quiet, the heavy air

the birds are calling somewhere else

mother says close the windows

before the rain

but, the smell of it -

how could I?

outside the clouds are

soft, white, gentle

looking down on worlds below

from crowded spaces

passing by

the humming, dizzying, sleepless -

a million pieces of black glass

peaking into other places

inside

a small, well furnished room

overlooking crowded streets

warm tones, busy, bright

the distant din of social lives

unread books and paper piled high -

the room is rarely occupied

father says make sure you rest

but, there -

so much to see

outside

verdant, expansive fields

it's perfectly quiet, for once

feeling time, it moves too fast

slipping past

with every breath

outside the clouds are

flat, endless, grey

a backdrop to the worlds below

the sunsets aren't quite as vivid

peaking into crowded spaces

a bird is singing -

calling somewhere else

inside

a small unfurnished room

yet to be filled with books and papers

the humming, sleepless din silenced

mother asks how is the weather -

it's raining softly

Work Details

Year: 2017

Instrumentation: Solo alto saxophone, 2 sopranos, flute, oboe, clarinet in B flat, horn in F, trumpet in C, trombone, percussion (1 player), vibraphone, marimba, piano, 3 violins, 2 violas, 2 cellos, double bass.

Duration: 6 min.

Difficulty: Advanced

Commission note: Commissioned by Bang on a Can.

First performance: 31 Jul 17. Bang On A Can Summer Festival at MASS MoCA (Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art), USA

The composer notes the following styles, genres, influences, etc associated with this work:
minimalism, concerto, post-minimalism