Five (2012)
for solo piano
A set of five etudes: Ephemera, Toccatina, Reverie, Echoes, Quicksilver
Commissioned by Corey Hamm.
Duration: 12 minutes
Five is a set of contrasting character pieces for solo piano, each exploring a different musical concept. "Ephemera" is delicate and fleeting, evoking a tonal restlessness of sorts by moving swiftly and continuously between various pitch collections: pentatonic, diatonic, chromatic and clusters. In "Toccatina", a simple ostinato is introduced then gradually buried beneath increasingly dense harmonies and layers of counterpoint. The third movement, "Reverie", is inspired by the concept of hyperbole. Beginning with material reminiscent of the Romantic era, the contours, chromaticism and texture are increasingly exaggerated as the movement unfolds. In the quiet and gentle fourth movement, "Echoes", two voices move in canonic motion, accompanied by soft gong-like punctuations. The final movement, "Quicksilver", features erratic rhythms and angular fragments that develop into an aggressive and explosive conclusion.
Five was commissioned and premiered in 2012 by pianist Corey Hamm.