for Chamber Orchestra
Scored for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, prepared piano, harpsichord, portative organ, 4 violins, 2 violas, 2 cellos, bass and percussion.
This was my senior thesis in composition at the University of Chicago. It is a polystylistic romp through the ages, built on three pieces of material: a descending glissando figure, the “La Folia” chord progression, and a waltz. It’s a humdinger of a piece. It’s hard to hear on this recording, but at the end, I have the organist switch off the power supply to her instrument. As the air decompresses, various higher partials in the pipes are activated, creating about the coolest instrumental effect I know.