Rand Steiger

This work is in five sections, the first and fourth of which feature a half minute long rhythmic cycle that is repeated many times by piano and drums going through gradual timbral transformations while the electronic part plays contrasting random rhythms. The second section is a virtuosic duo for piano and marimba/vibes, and the third features the re-entrance of the synthesiser with a slow, bass line type statement of the piece's basic pitch material, while piano and percussion continue with faster figures and arpegiations. The final section is a summarizing epilogue, with piano and percussion playing short fragments from sections two and three superimposed upon a low D drone. This piece was my first attempt at working with hexadecaphonic sets (all twelve tones plus four redundant pitches strategically placed to emphasize a specific tonal center) which I have continued to work with; not to re-invent the wheel, but simply to attempt to find a self-referential language within which I can comfortably work, and take advantage of the numer sixteen's symmetrical, power-of-two properties. Two such sets are used in this piece, both linearly, and harmonically (divided into tetra-chords).

The greatest inspiration a composer can hope for is to work with virtuosi such as tonights performers. I affectionately dedicate this work to Mr. Druckman and Mr. Feinberg, for that inspiration, and for their continuing friendship.