Who Has the Strangest Melodies? Paul Dolden

In the last few years I have been using dance rhythms from different cultures to create a new sense of counterpoint in my music. I analyzed the timing relationships between various percussion instruments. These timing relationships were then used to create the counterpoint for the live parts of this work. Therefore the live instruments perform the same melody but at different rates, or speeds. In addition the live parts are often microtonal in order to increase their effect of strangeness. The title is an allusion towards a harmless, fun competition between the players of the chamber orchestra as they try to outbid each other for the funkiest rhythm with a strangely intoned melody.

Commissioned by the Ensemble Phoenix (Switzerland).

  • Year of composition: 2009
  • Format: Mixed work
  • Instrumentation: Nine wind and brass instruments and tape (Fl, Ob, Cl, Bsn, Bar Sax, Tpt, Fr Hrn, Tbn, Tuba.)
  • Duration of the submitted work: 13:25

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