Listen to large ensemble music that might have a lot of motion on the face of it, but which actually has limited harmonic movement. Hear works by New York-based Lithuanian composer Žibuoklė Martinaitytė, Iceland’s Gunnar Andreas Kristinsson, and California-based John Adams.
Hear “Millefleur” by New York-based Lithuanian composer Žibuoklė Martinaitytė. The word means "thousand flowers," but when used in the context of Indian carpets, that can mean thousands of little plant and flower depictions, woven together into a background-like whole. In this piece, Martinaityte takes “microscopic sonic gestures” in the foreground and behind it, there is a slow-moving harmonic progression. (Composer's program notes.)
Then, there’s a work by California-based composer John Adams – his “Common Tones in Simple Time”. He explains, “[u]nderneath the fast surface movement lies a very slow harmonic movement” (Ed. Note: just like black metal!), which Adams compares to watching the surface of a continent go by from the window of an airplane. (Earbox.com)
Listen to music from Gunnar Andreas Kristinsson based on the Icelandic folk song “Fagurt er í Fjörðum.” The piece was originally written for Indonesian gamelan and western instruments, but was transcribed by Kristinsson for a “more practical instrumentation“ of xylophone, vibraphone, marimba, violin and bass clarinet (Sono Luminus liner notes.)
Program #4496, Fast Movement/Slow Motion (First Aired 5/14/2021)
ARTIST: Boston Modern Orchestra Project; Gil Rose, conductor
WORK: John Adams: Common Tones in Simple Time [1:10]
RECORDING: John Adams: Chamber Symphony
SOURCE: BMOP/sound 1078
INFO: bmop.org
ARTIST: Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra; conductor Giedrė Šlekytė
WORK: Žibuoklė Martinaitytė: Millefleur [13:01]
RECORDING: Žibuoklė Martinaitytė: Saudade
SOURCE: Ondine
INFO: prestomusic.com
ARTIST: Boston Modern Orchestra Project; Gil Rose, conductor
WORK: John Adams: Common Tones in Simple Time [21:21]
RECORDING: John Adams: Chamber Symphony
SOURCE: BMOP/sound 1078
INFO: bmop.org
ARTIST: Caput Ensemble
WORK: Gunnar Andreas Kristinsson: Patterns IIb [11:39]
RECORDING: Gunnar Andreas Kristinsson: MOONBOW
SOURCE: Sono Luminus
INFO: sonoluminus.com