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Mull it Over (2006)
ensemble large wind orchestra
commissioned by Boston University Tanglewood Institute
premièred July 28, 2006, Lenox, MA
When BUTI asked me to write my first piece for wind ensemble, I considered the incredibly broad variety of sounds produced by wind instruments. The melodic, sustaining aspects interested me most, so I elected to write in a lyrical, pensive vein, ducking the pomposity of traditional band music.
Formally, Mull It Over is best described as a double passacaglia. Each main section is introduced by the same introduction, and the piece closes with a coda that combines both passacaglia themes.
The first section is based on a cagey pattern of parallel fifths, over which scraps of imitative melody create a gradual counterpoint. The second, brisker section is introduced not by winds, but rather by the percussion and keyboard instruments. Their pattern spawns a revolving eighth-note melody in the high winds, eventually descending to take over the orchestra and combining with the first passacaglia.
This is highly repetitive music, designed not necessarily for close listening, but more as a platform for the listener’s own ideas and thoughts.
Listen
Recorded 7/28/06 live at Ozawa Hall, Lenox, MA.
BUTI Wind Ensemble; H. Robert Reynolds, conductor.