Momenta (1996)
fl/picc, ob, bn, pf, va, vc, db
Starting points:
The manner in which Berio derives harmonic environments from melodic fragments; the self-similar temporal hierarchies of gamelan music; random snippets of new music heard on the late-night radio...
Momenta is perhaps the work which best expresses my concerns of using 'instrumental fusion' in a large ensemble to blur gestures and trajectories into a single 'metagesture'. I was also concerned with developing melodic strands from articulations of slowly-shifting harmonic fields, and exploring the effects of resonance.
The title — the plural of momentum — represents the manner in which energy is 'stored up' through anticipatory devices, and then released in a grand catharsis.
Audio extract: (164k: Requires Quicktime Plug-in)
Score extract:
