For whom the bell tolls for flute (piccolo), soprano saxophone (alto saxophone), percussion, and piano

Abstract

This piece is inspired by "Meditation XVII”, a poem written by John Donne in 1624. It appears in Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions and Seuerall Steps in my Sicknes. The opening line is: "PERCHANCE he for whom this bell tolls may be so ill, as that he knows not it tolls for him; and perchance I may think myself so much better than I am, as that they who are about me, and see my state, may have caused it to toll for me, and I know not that." In this varied work, I use familiar structural elements and alter them to create unexpected twists. The environment is heavy in the beginning until rapid, running material appears. This, in turn, becomes the core of the piece. The bell chord, melodic lines in the winds, and rhythmic percussive patterns all originate from this material. In terms of instrumentation, I rely on two groups: the first is a pair of wind instruments and the second consists of percussion and piano. These duets interact with each other during the development process. Occasionally, I break these groupings to create diverse timbral combinations, such as when the piano interacts with piccolo in the high register or with alto saxophone in the low register.