for clarinet, violin, cello and piano
duration: 9 min.
Premiered by the Aspen Music Festival & School (July 14, 2005)
I. Fleeting
II. Mysteriously Searching
Fleeting is one of my earliest works. I wrote the first movement during my final year at Oberlin, and it served as the main piece for my graduate portfolio. The concept was to create a common theme that would gradually dissolve over time. A constant eighth-note pulse became the structural backbone of the piece built on Eb.
The opening chorale-like melody – played by the violin and cello – is the primary material for Mysteriously Searching, the second movement of Fleeting, written in 2005. Although I have yet to write additional movements, my goal has always been to create a substantial piece for the “Messiaen Quartet.” I wanted to convey a sense of searching within the music as the movement develops. This was achieved by writing no resolutions or cadential moments. The piece never resolves, but rather fades away.