Unseen Origin two pianos and two percussion (each with vibraphone and marimba) 2005 duration 10’00” Unseen Origin (2005) for two pianos and two mallet percussion was composed during the year my son Owen’s birth and completed only several weeks prior to his delivery. The excitement and trepidation I experienced in anticipation of such an awesome, life-changing event naturally led me to seriously contemplate meaning and what is truly important in my own life. In this work, I create a musical metaphor for this search through the use of a core progression of six chords. Figuratively, I treat this progression as the meaning being sought, the goal being pursued, and enlightenment achieved through contemplation. The entire work consists of a musical journey in which the progression is gradually, though never obviously, revealed. At times the music focuses on only one chord, at other moments it moves between a few of the chords, while at other points the progression is expanded by transformations between the chords. A second source of inspiration is the music of composer Magnus Lindberg, whose work with harmonic progressions is the topic of my doctoral dissertation. I used this composition as an opportunity to apply some of his methods and techniques for composing with harmonic progressions in my own way. Unseen Origin was commissioned by percussionist Sean Gabriel Darby for a recital featuring new works for two pianists and two percussionists premiered by Jieun Yun, Seung Min Ha, Christopher Cree, and Sean Gabriel Darby on 2/21/2006 in Urbana, IL. Audio excerpt recorded by Jieun Yun & Seung Min Ha, pianos, Christopher Cree & Sean Gabriel Darby, perc. View a score excerpt. http://www.fimic.fi/fimic/fimic.nsf/mainframe?readform&466971D7431D70BAC22566A500261220http://edmartincomposer.com/pdf_scores/unseen.pdfshapeimage_1_link_0shapeimage_1_link_1
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