Alt Shift
Alt Shift
Flute, Clarinet, Violin, Viola, Cello, and Piano
Composer's Note:
When it comes to philosophy, I am a firm believer in "what you see is what you get," or as Alan Watts would say, "This is it!" But though living in the present moment is widely proclaimed, it is, as it turns out, not all that easy to accomplish. It not only takes well honed levels of concentration and attention, it is, at least on the surface, not all that exciting. Our tendency is to become more interested in life paths that are more stimulating. So I decided to write this piece which focuses on some of these alternative lifestyles that most of us, including myself, find more attractive. The title is an analogy referring to a keyboard, where ALT and ALT SHIFT are the keys you push to access the characters that are not visible on the keys.
Each movement explores a different popular alternative lifestyle. The first movement, Tether, refers to a lifestyle in which one's experience is filtered through strong-held beliefs or firmly held principles. The tether being so strong that it affects everything the person experiences. In the music, the tether is represented by the low gong-like sound (often a perfect fourth) in the piano. The piece both begins and ends with this sound, and it appears regularly throughout.
The second movement, High Wire, is about a lifestyle full of adrenaline. It is a dance movement that is roughly based on the Mexican dance rhythm known as a huapango, but I don't think anyone will mistake it for mariachi music. It is very lively, adventurous, and even a little risky.
The third movement, Fantasia, is about the plunge into fantasy of all sorts, reading, video, video games, role playing and/or make believe, that has become such a common pastime. It employs non-vibrato chords and swirling effects to try to create a somewhat mysterious and unreal atmosphere. It is a voyage of adventure and excitement, but is all good-natured fun and ends with a joyous coda.
This work was written for a concert on May 9, 2024 with the chamber collective, Urban Nocturnes, and is the first piece in their repertoire that includes all six members.
Movements: 1. Tether, 2. High Wire, 3. Fantasia
Authored (or revised): 2023
Duration (minutes): 26
First performance: March 9, 2024, Urban Nocturnes (Viviana Complido, fl., Erin Finkelstein, cl., Karen Sinclair, vln., Christopher McKay, vla., Melita Hunsinger, vc., Olga Gorelik, pno.), Phoenix, AZ
Book format: pianist's score + 5 parts
SKU
ACA-STAL-072Couldn't load pickup availability
Description
Shipping and Returns
PDF Download Policy
Composer's Note:
When it comes to philosophy, I am a firm believer in "what you see is what you get," or as Alan Watts would say, "This is it!" But though living in the present moment is widely proclaimed, it is, as it turns out, not all that easy to accomplish. It not only takes well honed levels of concentration and attention, it is, at least on the surface, not all that exciting. Our tendency is to become more interested in life paths that are more stimulating. So I decided to write this piece which focuses on some of these alternative lifestyles that most of us, including myself, find more attractive. The title is an analogy referring to a keyboard, where ALT and ALT SHIFT are the keys you push to access the characters that are not visible on the keys.
Each movement explores a different popular alternative lifestyle. The first movement, Tether, refers to a lifestyle in which one's experience is filtered through strong-held beliefs or firmly held principles. The tether being so strong that it affects everything the person experiences. In the music, the tether is represented by the low gong-like sound (often a perfect fourth) in the piano. The piece both begins and ends with this sound, and it appears regularly throughout.
The second movement, High Wire, is about a lifestyle full of adrenaline. It is a dance movement that is roughly based on the Mexican dance rhythm known as a huapango, but I don't think anyone will mistake it for mariachi music. It is very lively, adventurous, and even a little risky.
The third movement, Fantasia, is about the plunge into fantasy of all sorts, reading, video, video games, role playing and/or make believe, that has become such a common pastime. It employs non-vibrato chords and swirling effects to try to create a somewhat mysterious and unreal atmosphere. It is a voyage of adventure and excitement, but is all good-natured fun and ends with a joyous coda.
This work was written for a concert on May 9, 2024 with the chamber collective, Urban Nocturnes, and is the first piece in their repertoire that includes all six members.
Shipping
We ship world-wide using US International Postal Mail - Priority, First Class International Mail, or UPS Global. In the US, we usually use US Priority Mail or Media Mail or UPS Ground services.
Return Policy
Orders received damaged will be replaced immediately at no additional charge. Refunds requested will be issued back to the original payment
method.
PDF files are not refundable and are considered permanent loan rentals licensed to the customer who purchased.
Purchasing any digital PDFs from American Composers Alliance grants you an unlimited license for your personal use only. ACA grants permission for you to duplicate the score and files as needed for performance.
Any other use of the PDF files may require additional permission from ACA. Purchase and download of PDFs does not automatically include performing and recording rights.
PDF files are not refundable and are considered permanent loan rentals licensed to the customer who purchased.