HmMawTo: Everyone a Filter

A meditation on the variability of structure and freedom. What happens when a composition is strict in many traditional aspects but releases total control of others? For HmMawTo, I relinquished control of exact pitch for abstract descriptions resulting in performer determined melodic gestures. 

Score available for download.

I maintain that Prelude has taught me more about the nature of music than any other of my compositions. The reason for this lies in its bare simplicity. The piece required an in-depth consideration of the relationship between listener and sound. It is a foray into achievable musical intimacy.

I had the great privilege of collaborating with Robyn Brown on Prelude. The process involved observing compositional devices found in cello suites by J.S. Bach. Robyn was immensely helpful in helping unlock the nature of the cello and all of its strange and beautiful behaviors. Her advice and demonstrations were what elevated Prelude to its final form.