D a v i d   V e s s

'gleaming' is an experiment in juggling various characters. One of the core building blocks of the piece is an homage to Jean Sibelius' 4th Symphony. I've scattered is whole tone melody throughout my piece, referencing it in part before each major transition. It functions as a signal for change. The second character is an homage to another favorite composer of mine, Witold Lutoslawski. An incessant and interrupting F#, constantly jumping into the middle of melodic phrases, and disrupting the flow of time, this character serves as an antagonist. The last character is a continually rising low voice melody, first heard in the tuba and low strings. In each episode the low voice rises to the top of the orchestra. These three elements work for and against each other as the setting changes. Patterns are made and patterns are broken. The piece ends very much where it begins, though the ingredients have shifted drastically.