Clockwork

for Six Bb Trumpets and Two Flugelhorns

dur. ca. 8min

ClockWork takes the audience inside the mechanisms that operate a simple clock. While the dial seems to inch its ways around a circle, there are many different gears under the hood that all varying in size. These gears cycle around and because of their size, they turn back their original axis at different times. Taking this element of rotation and phasing, ClockWork takes a similar approach with the gears with both phrasing and rhythm. One of the great composers who has perfected this technique of layering different rhythms on top of each other was Igor Stravinsky. ClockWork's main inspiration comes from one of Stravinsky's greatest works, The Rite of Spring. It translates the language and compositional technique for a trumpet octet. This creates an energetic work that uses momentum to continuously drive the piece to a seemingly never ending build to the climax.