Beaming Music (2002) for organ and marimba
was written at the request of Chris Thompson for a recital piece.
Knowing the program of his recital, I set out to write something in contrast
to the stark severity of the Xenakis. Additionally, knowing Chris'
tastes in music (bouncy electronica, hyper-tonal marimba solos, and shimmery
minimalism), I set out to write something that would address these issues.
Beaming Music is, at its heart, about small rhythmic cells transforming
themselves into large, open chords. While this is most evident in
the section immediately following the marimba solo 2/3 of the way through,
the idea of something small blossoming into a huge chord pervades the piece.
The title refers not only to the various metric subdivisions of the main
material, but also to Chris' sunny disposition during each stage of this
piece's conception, rehearsal, and performance. Beaming Music should
last 9 minutes and is dedicated to Chris Thompson.
