through woods in riot

Premiered by Meridian Brass as part of Sonic Coast [3] at The Drill Hall Portland, Dorset on the 25th. October 2014

instrumentation:
2 trumpets in Bb , tenor trombone and bass trombone. 

circa 10 minutes in duration.

notes: 
he instrumentalists play independently of each other. Music is cued to begin only or at various points throughout the work. There is no ‘fixed’ synchronisation between the instrumentalists. Whilst the relationship of each instrument is flexibly placed against its neighbour, care has been taken to calculate potential outcomes of coincidence and variability. To this end it is vital that metronome markings are adhered to as accurately as possible although the composer appreciates that it is the various interpretations and practicalities inherent in the realisation of tempi that contribute to the richly unique nature and interplay of each performance.

There is only one instruction to the players; to begin when indicated and play until their material is completed. Compositional material is derived from a series of distant variations that unify all sections with thematic landmarks. Thematic material is audible throughout the piece, bringing cohesion and structure to the work. All the instrumental roles are written to a high degree of virtuosity and most contain extended techniques and quarter-tones. The music itself forms dense, highly complex and constantly changing relationships that are frequently wild and sometimes beautiful.

The score and parts: 
I have not produced a score for through woods in riot; difficulties and variables associated with displaying the musical material in vertical alignment as represented in real time are considerable. Each performance will yield somewhat different results, interplays, gestural and harmonic references and outcomes. As a result, the material contained within the piece can only be read via the instrumental parts. Consequently there is no definitive performance of the piece. through woods in riot can only be realised through performance [as opposed to comprehended by reading through a score]; this is the nature of the music – it has to be experienced to be ‘known’.  
  
A note about the title: 
The title is drawn from the wonderful romantic poem ‘On Wenlock Edge’ by A E Housman, and from this verse in particular: “There, like the wind through woods in riot, Through him the gale of life blew high; The tree of man was never quiet: Then ’twas the Roman, now ’tis I.” through woods in riot is in no way a tone poem or romantic, impressionistic or programmatic representation of ‘On Wenlock Edge’ itself; rather, the resonances of chaos, anger, unrest and turmoil along with the timelessly unchanging nature of mankind that feature are all aspects that could be perceived as resonances in the tumultuous nature of this restless, constantly morphing music.

through woods in riot

Marumsco for soundfile

Composed for Joanna Ross Hersey
MIDI realization

Score is available at jlacomposer.com

Conversations With Myself for unaccompanied tuba MIDI

MIDI realization
text by Katie Ballinger (text is used with permission)

Score is available at jlacomposer.com

"The Lighthouse" is recorded on Ablaze Records, New Choral Voices, Vol. 4 and is available on Spotify and Apple Tunes for download.

The Lighthouse for SATB choir  MIDI Realization

MIDI realization

Score is available at jlacomposer.com

Fanfare for brass quartet  MIDI (2 trumpets & 2 trombones)

Fantasy for brass quartet  MIDI (2 trumpets & 2 trombones)

The "breath" in English, or "ruah" in Hebrew, or "qi" in Chinese, or "pneuma" in Greek, is the energy that gives life, the creative energy, but it is also music. Contrary to what one might think, it is not classifiable with absolute uniqueness as a nodal sound: although in fact a noise nature may be evident, it is actually in effect a grooved sound, it is sufficient to try to perform a long breath by hinting a scale whistled to realize it. Blowing the trumpet sound, it is sufficient to try to perform a long breath by hinting a scale whistled to realize it. Blowing the trumpet face of this sound object onto the trumpet of a trumpet becomes even more evident: we can indeed perceive the heights proper to the true fundamentals of the instrument! In the present acousmatic piece phonemes of the human voice and trumpet sounds interact (with techniques of crossed synthesis and not only) in a path marked by multiple orders of subrogation aimed at highlighting the multiple affinities between singing and brass playing: the human voice is the result of vibration, and the trumpet has its voice.

Ruah

for Danielle Moreau and Danielle VanTuinen

Score is available at jlacomposer.com

Ruah

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