Serendipitous Inventions (2003)
Commissioned by A. Matthew Mazzoni
9:45
solo piano
Notes
Serendipitous Inventions is a set of six brief, mostly two-voice contrapuntal inventions, each one composed to focus on a single idea. These ideas range widely in concept, from the tangible (the steady rhythmic ostinato of Irregularities) to the abstract (the "pulseless nothing" of Breaths). Well before the writing of any notes, it was necessary that each of these unique properties be well constructed, each honed into a seed capable of growing an entire work. However, it was only these single-minded foci that were formed before any notes were written - no additional melodies, rhythms, or harmonies were worked out prior to the writing of the set. The end result of each invention thus is a combination of concrete planning followed by complete and fortuitous accident. Serendipity!
Winner of the 2004 ASCAP/Morton Gould Young Composers Award
Premiered by A. Matthew Mazzoni
October 18, 2003
Auer Hall
Indiana University
Bloomington, IN
Audio
Serendipitous Inventions Mvt. 1: Expansions
Serendipitous Inventions Mvt. 2: Shards
Serendipitous Inventions Mvt. 3: Irregularities
Serendipitous Inventions Mvt. 4: Cascades
Serendipitous Inventions Mvt. 5: Breaths
Serendipitous Inventions Mvt. 6: Serendipity
PDF Score excerpt