PALIMPSEST

Composer's Note:

Palimpsest is one of several pieces I wrote during the COVID-19 lockdown and protests against racial injustice in the spring of 2020. It recontextualizes several passages of “Farewell Processes,” a string orchestra piece I wrote in 2017 which was in turn based on motives from Beethoven’s “Les Adieux” sonata. My friend and colleague Jacob Harrison asked me to write a piece that could be performed either in a traditional format or recorded remotely, as the situation with Coronavirus made planning for the 2020-21 season highly uncertain. Some aspects of the piece are basically open; repeated figures are played within predetermined time brackets.

The piece may be performed as in person (as an ensemble) or remotely, with or without a conductor. A stopwatch will be required if recording in isolation. When performing as an ensemble, the conductor should be the only one with a stopwatch. Alternatively, if performed as an ensemble but without a conductor, each performer will need a stopwatch, or a master clock may be positioned in a location where the orchestra can clearly see it.