ENS.2004.1 | 16′
4 Equal Instruments
Cup and Saucer in the Path of a Mechanical Insect
Performed by Peter Hess (alto saxophones) and Ken Thomson (alto saxophones)
I have always been fascinated by patterns, and in 2003 I began a series of pieces made entirely from eighth notes. Cup and Saucer in the Path of a Mechanical Insect, the second work utilizing this approach, consists of a network of relationships between independently conceived harmonic and rhythmic cells superimposed upon one another.
This piece takes its wonderfully awkward title from the drawing by Edward Gorey that inspired this jerky, spindly yet oddly relentless music. Compositionally Cup and Saucer is completely unified, seeking a structure whose totality reflects its every constituent element.