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Through the Looking-Glass with Mark

Saturday, March 16th, 2024

In an extraordinary collaboration, six composers joined forces to conceive a seven-movement work titled Variations on Overture to Antigone (In Honor of Dr. Mark Alburger), a tribute to the esteemed Dr. Mark Alburger. My contributions bookend this collective opus, with the first and final movements under my authorship. The inaugural movement serves as more than just an introduction; it is an abbreviated arrangement of Dr. Alburger’s Overture to Antigone to set the thematic foundation for what follows.

Delving into the heart of my creative process, Through the Looking-Glass with Mark draws palpable inspiration from Philip Glass. This piece not only honors the structural ingenuity of the original work, notably through the clever use of the inverted BACH motif, but also weaves in a personal narrative. A subtle yet profound layer is introduced by embedding the names of Mark and my surname in Morse code within the composition, crafting a hidden dialogue between the notes.

In a poignant nod to my personal history with Dr. Alburger, the alto saxophone and bassoon lead the lament section, instruments that I have often played in his works. This choice serves to intertwine my artistic identity with the legacy of Dr. Alburger, ensuring that the piece resonates with both tradition and individuality.

For those intrigued by the nuances of this memorial piece, further insights into the genesis of my variation can be found in the Crafting My Variation for Dr. Mark Alburger’s Memorial post, under my In Progress section of my website. This space is dedicated to unraveling the layers of thought, emotion, and technique that shaped my contribution to this collaborative homage.
The SFCCO premiered this work on its Leaving a Mark, Memorial concert on March 16, 2024.

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Open Ended: Mark Alburger Variation

Saturday, November 4th, 2023

Open Ended is a dynamic performance crafted live for the audience. Inspired by Rova’s Radar techniques, Open Ended is more of a vibrant palette than a fixed composition. It’s an expanding set of guidelines and games for the musicians, directed by the conductor’s hand signals. Rather than following a predetermined script, the conductor composes on the spot, responding to the present moment and guiding the performers with these signals. This concept mirrors the “Soundpainting” language, a pioneering creation by Walter Thompson in Woodstock, New York, 1974. The beauty of Open Ended lies in its adaptability. With no fixed instrumentation, any number of musicians can partake. The duration is equally fluid, ranging from a brisk 5 minutes to a marathon 24 hours. Though it has been showcased several times, with memorable renditions in 2005, 2009, and 2018 by the SFCCO, each performance is a unique, unrepeatable world première. This rendition of Open Ended includes a special homage to SFCCO founder, Mark Alburger. I have crafted two variations of three phrases, each inspired by the Morse code sequence for ‘Mark George Alburger.’

– – .- .-. -.- / – -. . – – – .-. – -. . / .- .-.. -… ..- – -. . .-.

Rhythm is created by assigning the dashes, or long signals in Morse code, twice the note value of the dots, which represent the short signals. The audience was then given the opportunity to choose which version they wanted to hear incorporated into this performance of Open Ended.

Open Ended: Mark Alburger Variation

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10 Circles

Saturday, October 22nd, 2022

10 Circles

While most are familiar with abstract art and dance, how does that translate to music? Imagine if music were not bound by a linear sequence but played in a random order, resulting in a unique experience every time. Or consider music performed in multiple tempos simultaneously, embracing Albert Einstein’s theory that time is relative and varies based on your perspective.

10 Circles delves into these fascinating ideas through the lens of circle-music, a form I discovered through my composition teacher Dr. Cindy McTee. McTee’s own circle-music composition for my bassoon teacher, Sue Schrier, inspired this exploration. This piece is composed of ten distinct sections, each containing musical phrases that can be played in any sequence at any time. This fluid approach to composition requires a novel style of conducting. Here, the conductor is more than a timekeeper; they sculpt the piece in real-time, influencing its orchestration.

The musicians navigate their own routes through the sections, guided by the surrounding sonic landscape. While themes may reappear, their occurrence and interpreter are entirely unpredictable. 10 Circles employs quartal chords and octatonic scales, creating a sense of tonality that is tangible yet abstract. The result is a work that challenges and redefines our understanding of musical time and structure.

10 Circles

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2nd Movement of Symphony No. 4 “Deconstructing Beethoven”

Saturday, May 28th, 2022

Symphony No. 4 “Deconstructing Beethoven” is an exploration into the hypothetical: what if Beethoven were to time-travel to the present and assimilate over 200+ years of musical advancements? How would his compositions sound in this new context? In the second movement, I draw inspiration from the Allegretto of Beethoven’s 7th Symphony, a personal favorite as a bassoonist, particularly for the character of an anguished lament.

In this movement, I employ techniques introduced in the first movement, such as conflicting rhythms that create a palpable tension. The idea was to deconstruct Beethoven’s original piece, distilling the melody to its core and infusing it with an aleatoric character, consistent with the overarching themes of the symphony.

Heart beat rhythm

Heart beat rhythm


A key element from Beethoven’s Allegretto, the march rhythm of one long note followed by two short ones, is occasionally referenced. However, I predominantly utilize a heartbeat rhythm, prominently featured in the timpani and bass drum following the opening chord.

Inverted five notes






The five-note rhythm from the first movement is inverted and slowed down, adding a subtly unbalanced rhythmic feel as it morphs into a 3 against 2 pattern. Time manipulation is another technique used, with instruments echoing similar phrases asynchronously. The harmonic language is expanded through the use of whole tone and octatonic scales, along with the addition of “extra” tones to chords for a more modern, richer sound. Beethoven kindly provided me a fugue section, which helps to link this movement with the 4th and some rhythms appear in the 2 moment that reappear in the 3rd. Despite these innovations, Beethoven’s original genius periodically emerges, maintaining a link to the classical source while reimagined in a contemporary light.

II. Allegretto

The SFCCO premièred this movement on May, 28th 2022.

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Symphony No. 4 “Deconstructing Beethoven”

Monday, June 3rd, 2019

Most American orchestras predominantly feature European composers from the 18th and 19th centuries, with American compositions, especially contemporary ones, being a rarity. In response, I composed Symphony No. 2 “Mozart ist Tot!” in 2003, expressing my desire for reinvention rather than repetition in classical music performances. Similarly, Symphony No. 4 “Deconstructing Beethoven” is a continuation of this concept, aimed at reinvigorating the works of Beethoven for modern audiences. Currently, Amazon lists hundreds of recordings of Beethoven’s 5th Symphony. Yet, upon listening, one might find strikingly minimal variation in the interpretation and execution across these numerous versions. This symphony imagines Beethoven time-traveling to the present, absorbing over 200+ years of musical advancements.

I. Allegro con brio


The first movement, inspired by Beethoven’s iconic 5th Symphony, follows its original form and orchestration but drifts towards a sound reminiscent of Carl Ruggles. It incorporates a decaphonic series for themes but eschews a serial approach. I expanded the famous four-note motif to five or ten notes and introduced complex rhythms to restore the original’s element of surprise, now diminished by its familiarity. This movement strikes a balance between echoing the original and standing as a new, distinct piece.


III. Tempo di Menuetto



The third movement reimagines Beethoven’s 8th Symphony’s Minuetto. Using a computer program, I performed a sonic reduction of Bernstein’s live performance of this movement, distilling the music to its essential lines and rhythms. In places where the reduction left gaps, I inserted Beethoven’s original parts. This foundation was then orchestrated in a Webern-like fragmented style, with modernist percussion influenced by Varese, creating a mosaic of sonic textures blending the familiar with the new.

Currently, the symphony is a work in progress, with the second and fourth movements under development. The second will draw on Beethoven’s 7th Symphony’s Allegretto, approached aleatorically, while the fourth is planned to be a fusion of Beethoven’s 3rd Symphony’s finale and Hindemith’s style. The SFCCO premiered the first and third movements at its concert on May 4, 2019.

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Open Ended (5/5/2018)

Saturday, May 19th, 2018

Open Ended

 
Open Ended is a very versatile work that is composed live before your eyes and ears. Based on Rova‘s Radar techniques, Open Ended is less of a composition and more of a color or tool palette. It is an ever-growing collection of rules and games for the performers that are triggered by hand signals by the conductor/composer. The conductor/composer then composes the piece live using these hand signals to guide the performers. The ability to compose with what happens in the moment, in real time, is what is required to produce this piece. This similar to the “Soundpainting” language was created by Walter Thompson in Woodstock, New York in 1974. This work has no set instrumentation and can be played by any number of performers. It also has no set length; the piece could last 5 minutes or 24 hours. Open Ended has been performed several times, including performances in 2005 and 2009 by the

   SFCCO, but every time it is a world première and unique performance that can never be repeated.

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Fantasy in D

Thursday, April 21st, 2016

Fantasy in D is a musical composition that embraces the spirit of a fantasy — characterized by its free form and an improvisational style. Tracing its roots to early 16th-century fantasias, this piece evolves the concept by involving short sections driven by one or more musical motifs. True to the fantasy tradition, it uniquely integrates orchestral improvisation. Performers are provided with collections of notes or instructions, and are encouraged to improvise within these guidelines for set durations.

Fantasy in D

Pages from the score

The structure of Fantasy in D is a blend of improvisation and fully notated music. While certain sections are strictly composed, others offer musicians the freedom to explore. A recurring element is a three-note motif, especially pronounced at the piece’s climax. The composition is divided into two primary sections, with the second being an inversion of the first (b+a instead of a+b). This overarching structure is further broken down into 64 smaller sections, following a hierarchical breakdown (2-4-8-16-32), each triggering unique events, textures, chord changes, and instrumentations.

Score Draft Notes

Score Draft laying out the Golden Ratio

The timing of each section is guided by the “Golden ratio“, φ (phi) or 1.6180339887498948482…, celebrated for its prevalence in natural patterns and lending an organic quality to the piece. While the tonal center is D, the piece navigates through various modes and tonalities including D, A, B, G, major and minor, creating a sound that is D-centric yet modally diverse, so it is really in D (ish).

Fantasy in D

The mood of “Fantasy in D” is tinged with somber and melancholic undertones, influenced by personal life events during its creation, including the passing of my father and my mother’s battle with pancreatic cancer. This piece, premièring on May 21st, 2016, by the SFCCO is a reflection of these emotional landscapes, woven into its musical fabric.
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for Loop

Thursday, April 30th, 2015

for n in reversed(range(1,4)):

play(n)
pause(n)

For Loop or 80’s Nostalgia

SFCCO performs for n in reversed(range(1,4)): play(n) pause(n)

 
In the 1980s, during my school years, pattern music – encompassing minimalism and post-minimalism – was at its peak. Among my peers at school, John Adams’ Short Ride in a Fast Machine resonated strongly. My piece for Loop initially began as a homage to that vibrant era. However, as the composition evolved, it took on a mechanical, almost computer-like quality. This shift, likely influenced subconsciously by my college composition professor, Dr. Cindy McTee, and her work Circuits, led me to discover a recurring pattern in the piece: play 3 – reset 3, play 2 – reset 2, play 1 – reset 1. This pattern reminded me of a simple ‘for loop’ in computer programming. Thus, the title for n in reversed(range(1,4)): play(n) pause(n) was born, reflecting this programming loop and accentuating the composition’s likeness to a computer in operation. The San Francisco Composers Chamber Orchestra (SFCCO) brought this piece to life with its premiere on May 9th, 2015.

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Triangles

Friday, May 23rd, 2014

SFCCO performs Triangles


Triangles is a composition inline with my composition Pollock which the SFCCO premiered 12 years ago. The present work uses guided improvisation and colorist techniques to create it’s sound.  The title of the work comes from the Triangular number sequence that inspired the form of the composition. There are three large sections lasting 4 minutes each. These large section have a fundamental pitch center of  ii-v-I, my jazz roots. These large sections are made up of three sections A (modal runs), B (intervalic movements) and C (chordal sustains). Each of these sections (A,B,C) are also made up of three sections each one lasting a value in the triangular number sequence (ex: 10, 15, 21, 28, 36, 45). One could also look at Triangles a quasi rondo form: A, B, C, B1, C1, A1, C2, A2, B2 (Rondo Form: A, B, A, C, A, B1, A). While three is the magic number for this composition, the numerics are just the glue for the work. With sound-washes of runs, thick Ruggle-esque chords, and intertwining spontaneous melodies — Triangles aims to paint pictures in the mind.

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Incomplete Thoughts

Monday, April 22nd, 2013

SFCCO performs Incomplete Thoughts

 
Incomplete Thoughts was born out of the news that the SFCCO would not have all the bassoons they normally have for the May, 2013 concert. I stopped the piece on which I was working, and came up with another: a contemporary passacaglia where the bass line was in one time and the other instruments in others. I was thinking to use either multiple conductors or metronomes with earpieces. Desiring inspiration, I looked though some of my incomplete compositions for a bass line, and found something useable in a draft of an opera from many years ago. The figure went through some modifications and was given a lazy lilt in 7/8. I wanted to layer fragments of music on top, which were inspired by scraps of music not yet finished and other incomplete utterances. As I felt the work should be written in a stream-of-conscious-manner, an interruption motif came into being as a way to switch thoughts. While I eventually decided that the original idea of multiple times might be hard to pull off, I came up with other ways to have multiple times. In the end, I hope to have created a thought-provoking work that is more than the collection of Incomplete Thoughts that began it.

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