PROGRAM NOTES

Splinter is a juxtaposition of stasis and motion. From the outset, the cello establishes a sense of stasis with a steady drone. The violin drones in response, but swells and slides to set the stasis in motion. The piano is more aggressive and literally splinters the drone with several violent interjections. With each interjection, the violin and cello pull further and further away from their foundation. Eventually, the increasingly wild energy in the strings and the intrusive gestures in the piano overwhelm the drone and reveal the fractured collection of sounds that make up the splinter.

Composition Details

Completed in 2019 and premiered on June 9th, 2019 by the Music from Copland House Ensemble at the Merestead Estate in Mount Kisco, NY.

Instrumentation

Piano Trio

Duration

~5 minutes