for violin and piano
about 8”30
premiere May 11, 2008 at the Blessed Sacrament Church
152 West 72 Street
New York City
I was interested in contrasts between constructed binaries while writing this piece. In other words, in a world that sees black and white, us and them, up and down, etc, how can a composer play with expectations of normalcy? My particular concern was with the male/female dichotomy. What sounds masculine? What sounds feminine?
The first movement contrasts two themes that are nominally masculine and feminine, but which is which? The second movement heightens the interchange that these two characteristics possess, ending tragically. In the third movement something of a heroic theme emerges against a flowing perpetuum mobile motif.
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