In partial fulfillment of the Master of Music degree in Composition, I have composed the piece Tracing Shadows for large
chamber ensemble. It is cast in a single movement of approximately eight minutes and thirty seconds in length. The instrumentation
consists of flute, oboe, clarinet in Bb, bass clarinet, bassoon, horn in F, trumpet in C, trombone, two percussionists, piano, two violins,
viola, violoncello, and contrabass. The piece investigates the interplay between musical attack and resonance. The idea of musical
resonance existing as an afterimage of a musical impetus informs the reference to shadows in the composition’s title.
The piece explores its musical ideas in a continually developing structure suggesting ternary form (A-B-A’). The composition’s
first section develops two main elements; a powerful hammer-stroke gesture acting as a catalyst for resonance, and a melodic line
featuring sustained notes in its contour. Resonance is created through sustained chords in different choirs, as well as through bowed
and scraped metal percussion instruments. A contrasting second section evolves from the resonances of the first section into a pseudocanonic,
polyphonic interplay. Condensed, repeating rhythms embody a contrasting resonance differing from the sustains dominating
the first section. The terminal A’ evades a direct return to the opening material, instead subtly extending the gestures presented in the
first two sections.
The piece’s harmonic language focuses primarily on various expressions of the pitch-class set (014). In particular, supersets
(012345) and (0134) are extremely important in the piece’s construction. (0134) and subsets function as the primary stable harmonic
verticality, acting as a harmonic pillar in contrapuntal sections.
The melodic language of the piece primarily focuses on trichordal units of (014). Additionally, the aforementioned relationship
to the chromatic superset is utilized as a melodic reservoir and as an important gestural resource.
Tracing Shadows explores new territories for my personal compositional style, and is a work that I believe has a strong
possibility of future programing. It has helped me to explore simultanaeities that are new to my musical language, as well as helping to
refine my concept of gesture.