Uncommon Time

Description

Uncommon Time was commissioned by the National Flute Association for the 1991 High School Soloist Competition. It is constructed using a fourteen note tone row which has implications of tonality; major seventh chords and augmented triads, as well as segments which are less tonal. The piece traces a dialogue of two different musical ideas; they first appear as percussive tones opposed by sustained melodies on harmonics, then full tones against reduced sounds and harmonics, then phrases in an antecedent/consequent pattern. Throughout, phrases are structured in asymmetric rhythmic patterns; hence, the words, ‘uncommon time’.

Additional information