Waterways (2014)
two cellos - 5'
written for Frank Jenkins and Anna Park
Waterways: 3x3 variations was inspired by the Profile and Index Map of the Illinois Waterway (Mile 0.0 to 327.2 - Mississippi River to Lake Michigan). The Profile shows water levels along the route and corresponds to the descending melodic line in the Introduction. The Index Map charts the entire course of the waterway but it is broken up into nine sections, hence both the structure (nine variations - which can be played contiguously or broken up in the program: I-III, IV-VI, and VII-IX) and the syntax of the piece (the musical “flow” being “broken up” by rests and half cadences). Given the nature of water and since the waterway is one body but represented in nine segments, each variation as well as each set of three are variations of one another.
One of Frank’s requests was that this piece have some pedagogical value to it for use with private students. As such, the first part is intended for the teacher while the second, though just as musically sophisticated, should be less technically challenging and is intended for the student. Furthermore, each group of three variations becomes progressively more complex and reliant on deeper knowledge of one’s instrument and music in general. I had numerous teaching points in mind, of which anyone can feel free to inquire with me directly, but one overarching concept that governed the composition of the piece may be of most obvious use - inversion/reversal and exchange - was inspired by the historical fact that the Chicago river portion of the waterway was made to reverse its flow around the turn of last century by a system of locks in order to connect it to the rest of the waterway and thus improve trade.
written for Frank Jenkins and Anna Park
Waterways: 3x3 variations was inspired by the Profile and Index Map of the Illinois Waterway (Mile 0.0 to 327.2 - Mississippi River to Lake Michigan). The Profile shows water levels along the route and corresponds to the descending melodic line in the Introduction. The Index Map charts the entire course of the waterway but it is broken up into nine sections, hence both the structure (nine variations - which can be played contiguously or broken up in the program: I-III, IV-VI, and VII-IX) and the syntax of the piece (the musical “flow” being “broken up” by rests and half cadences). Given the nature of water and since the waterway is one body but represented in nine segments, each variation as well as each set of three are variations of one another.
One of Frank’s requests was that this piece have some pedagogical value to it for use with private students. As such, the first part is intended for the teacher while the second, though just as musically sophisticated, should be less technically challenging and is intended for the student. Furthermore, each group of three variations becomes progressively more complex and reliant on deeper knowledge of one’s instrument and music in general. I had numerous teaching points in mind, of which anyone can feel free to inquire with me directly, but one overarching concept that governed the composition of the piece may be of most obvious use - inversion/reversal and exchange - was inspired by the historical fact that the Chicago river portion of the waterway was made to reverse its flow around the turn of last century by a system of locks in order to connect it to the rest of the waterway and thus improve trade.
