dualities and symmetries

As it pertains to sound, the term duality generally refers to the rhythm/pitch duality – an aural phenomenon whereby pitch and rhythm are two sides of the same coin. In this piece, a polyrhythm is slowed dramatically to the point that it creates sections of music, and these sections reverse at the halfway point like a palindrome. Because of this, the difference between “real” time and “musical” time becomes exposed: the music becomes expressed backwards, but we experience time only linearly. Reminding us of this difference, the instruments will naturally fall out of tune throughout the duration of the work, worn by the passage of time. In addition to temporal symmetry, this piece uses pitch symmetry and spatial/gestural symmetry.