Variations for Orchestra orchestra (2,2,2,2,/2,3,2/strings, timpani, 2 percussion) (1996-98) Duration: ca. 11’30” Unlike a traditional set of musical variations which usually make reference to a common melodic theme, ‘Variations for Orchestra’ (1996-98) twelve distinctive and contrasting sections of music, all however, united by a common rhythmic pulse. However, the relationship between the pulse and the musical material in each of the sections changes frequently during the course of the piece, sometimes moving slowly, at half speed, sometimes quickly at double speed, and sometimes both quickly and slowly at the same time, in a layered relationship. Therefore, one could conceive of the piece as a set of variations on a basic rhythmic pulse. In contrast to some of my earlier pieces, ‘Variations for Orchestra’ uses a much wider variety of contrasting musical materials. Because of this, I saw the piece as having a kind of ‘cinematic’ form, as a series of contrasting, but related musical images.

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