Waves and Tides of Time Kevin Austin

Waves and Tides of Time for two zheng and ea sounds

Recorded, Saturday, September 25, 2004 by Mark Corwin at the Oscar Peterson Concert Hall, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada

Composed in 2004 for Chih-Lin Chou and premiered in Montreal during the Harvest Moon Festival at Concordia University, Waves and Tides of Time is based on ideas of the relationship of temporal life and unending time, the players (as in life) are tossed about by and respond to forces over which they have no control, and often, no knowledge. Sometimes the response is distant and more measured, for the energy needs to be conserved for other moments, other things, other times.

A kind of arch-rondo, based on the five basic feng-shui (+1) elements of water, wind, wood, fire, earth and metal.

The piece was composed with accessibility as an important aspect, although the treatment of the musical material is abstract. The first zheng part is virtuoso in nature, the second is more basic.

Special thanks to Chih-Lin Chou who assisted with many technical aspects of zheng performance.

  • Year of composition: 2004
  • Duration of the submitted work: 13:51
  • Production: Oscar Peterson Concert Hall, Concordia University

More works by Kevin Austin