Work Sets You Free? : Ode to Capitalist Pigs Oink Oink
For JVLMA Ensemble at the Crossroads International Contemporary Music Festival (Salzburg 2017)

Viola - Pēteris Trasuns
Clarinet - Guntis Kuzma 
Alto Sax - Arvydas Kazlauskas
Double Bass - Viktors Stankevičs

Work Sets You Free, is a work for Clarinet, Alto Sax, Viola and Double Bass. Written as a commentary on my own increasing concerns regarding the leaning of western capitalism towards fascism, most particularly in the US and UK. Conservative governments are for-fronted by leaders, who through deception and power manipulate democracy to reflect their own desires.  Capitalism is driven by the ideology that you get what you work for, the harder you work the more you’ll receive. But as it is, these establishments are becoming increasingly more corrupt, using the ‘American dream’ work ethic to fuel the one per cent and exclude the minorities. Using the idea of poor work ethic as a way to condemn those who do not fit into their own ideas, justifying xenophobia, anti-Semitism and homophobia. The power that these individuals have is incredibly concerning, frighteningly mirroring 1930’s Germany, targeting the vulnerable members of the country to fuel the parties’ own agendas. You only have to look at Trump and the wall he wants to build between America and Mexico to see the divide he is creating, not only socially but physically. 

“When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending the best. They’re not sending you, they’re sending people that have lots of problems and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bring crime. They’re rapists… And some, I assume, are good people.” (Donald Trump)

In light of this, Work Sets You Free explores this extra musical content by the use of pervasive driving rhythmic material that incessantly pulses with little direction. The use of folk idiom in contrast to aggressive material acts as a metaphor to freedom, this is further elaborated on by the satirical use of almost nationalistic sounding material in a comical manner. Once again referring to the parody I am suggesting on the level of freedom these ‘democratic’ countries have.

Work Sets You Free? : Ode to Capitalist Pigs Oink Oink - (2017)

Composer currently studying at the University of York.

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rebecca burden
cellobanjopianovoice

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Work Sets You Free? : Ode to Capitalist Pigs Oink Oink - (2017)

Catherine Robson