Resolve

Instrumentation: 3333/4331/Hp./pno/T+3/Strings
Duration: 16 minutes
Year: 2019

Program Notes

Resolve is a 16 minute work for large orchestra that unravels at a glacial pace.  The inspiration behind writing a very slow work for orchestra in part came from the music of Mahler, John Luther Adams and Olivier Messiaen.  These composers are known for works which stretch over long periods of time and challenge the listeners’ ability to perceive the larger scale form.  I especially admire the way these composers create extremely long lines that are suspended in beautiful harmony.  In this work, harmony is created through the complex overlapping of individual melodic lines, which in turn create a harmonic field which slowly shifts as lines merge and disperse.    The title Resolve reflects two important elements in the piece – first, the sense of slow determination that pervades the piece through its slow build up and secondly, the idea of long-term harmonic and musical resolution that comes in the form of two major climaxes.  The work is ultimately a musical reflection on the crises of our time and attempts to capture the scale of time through deliberately slow motion, allowing space for meditation and thought.  

Resolve is written in partial fulfillment for the D.M.A degree in Music Composition at the University of Toronto. I would like to acknowledge Dr. Norbert Palej for his guidance and support during the degree.

Score and Parts

Please contact the composer here for score and/or part rentals.