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Clouds are not Spheres
and other chamber music by
Charles Knox
Clouds are not Spheres
Clouds are not Spheres was composed in 1994 especially for Christina Smith, flute, Dorothy Lewis, cello and Cary Lewis, piano.
Though based on some planned arithmetic relationships (principally in rhythmic relationships), this work depends for its musicality on some much more subjectively-arrived-at melodies and counterpoints. "Clouds are not spheres," a statement by Benoit Mandelbrot (as quoted in the book, Chaos, by James Gleik), seems an appropriate title; random shapes can be much more complex than regular, geometric forms. A formal outline of this one-movement piece follows:
Introduction part 1, a 5-note motive and the tonality (C sharp) are established
part 2, flute and cello stretch a long melodic arch out of the motive
exposition part 1, frantic rhythmic activity
part 2, legato theme in cello then in flute
part 3, short, quiet version of part 1 in piano
part 4, passionate melodic line doubled in flute and piano
middle section part 1, cello tune with a slight "swing" (initially)
part 2, flute with the same tune, but a bit faster
part 3, an interruption from exposition, part 2
parts 4 & 5, similar to parts 1 & 2 but shorter and faster
part 6, another brief interruption from exposition, part 2
part 7, similar to part 2 (flute) but faster
part 8, similar to part 1 (cello) but much faster
part 9, similar to part 2 (flute) but much faster, leading to
recapitulation of exposition
part 1
part 3
part 4
coda part 1, motivic fragments build dynamics and texture arriving at
part 2, an intensity peak which firmly reestablishes D flat (C sharp)
Song and Double
Song and Double is a lyrical tune for oboe and piano and a rather distant variation of that tune. The performers on this recording, Jonathan Dlouhy and Cary Lewis, gave the first performance of this piece which was written especially for them in 1984.
Beginning with a challenging introduction for oboe alone, the "song" follows. The major portion of the piece varies melodic segments of the song in treatments increasingly more difficult for both instruments. The song returns followed by a quietly harmonized version of the introduction.
Semordnilap
The contemporary music ensemble, Thamyris, has from time to time asked several composers to write light or humorous pieces to be used in their fundraising drives. Semordnilap, composed in 1991 is the result of such a request. Each movement is a musical palindrome (the latter half is the first half backward). The first of the five movements is a flute solo accompanied by piano, the second a piano solo accompanied by flute and soprano, the third a marimba solo and the fourth a soprano solo accompanied by marimba. The fifth movement, "1991" (a palindromic year), consists of the four solos performed at the same time. And during each piece one of the well-known linguistic palindromes is recited (or, in the fourth movement, sung).
I. MadAm I'm AdaM .I
II. a Man, a Plan, a Canal, PanaMa .II
III. AblE was I ere I saw ElbA .III
IV. Poor Dan is in a DrooP .IV
V. 1991 .V
Scherzos
Scherzos was commissioned and first performed by the Atlanta Chamber Players in 1993. Paula Peace is the artistic director of the Atlanta Chamber Players, that city's oldest existing chamber music ensemble.
Four instruments horn, violin, cello and piano present three "scherzos" three times. The scherzos (the terms is used very loosely here) are in turn bright, pompous and romantic and are heard alternating in a single movement. The resulting form could be considered variations on three themes:
A B C A' B' C' A" B" C" coda
A motive whose first four pitches resemble the dies irae (no programmatic significance) is the basis of the second (pompous) scherzo.
The coda grows out of the final presentation of the third (romantic) scherzo.
Rounds About
Rounds About for violin, clarinet, trombone and percussion is in five short movements: rounds (perpetual canons) in movements I, III and V, alternating with interludes (movements II and IV). (A sort of poor-man's Well Tempered Clavier or Ludus Tonalis.) The work was commissioned by Tom O'Donnell in 1983 and given its first performances by his chamber ensemble.
O'Donnell, a member of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, has given many "educational" concerts with his own chamber group. These pieces, written for one instrument from each section of the orchestra, employ an imitative form with which most young people are familiar. The round, whose ending harmonizes with its beginning, may be repeated indefinitely, but, in this case, to spare the audience, endings have been provided. Perhaps unnoticed by young audiences, these rounds modulate with each imitative entrance, eventually returning to the starting pitch.
Music for Brass Quintet
Music for Brass Quintet is in three movements which may be described as (1) a triple-meter, minuet-waltz which cannot decide what key it is in, (2) a plodding, slower duple meter which tries to march but occasionally trips over itself, and (3) a rondo in which an old cantus firmus played too fast is the principal theme. A fanfare motive heard in unison as the first movement begins, unifies the quintet by recurring near the end of the first movement, in the middle of the second movement and at the beginning of the third movement, then is finally given its say in a lengthier fugato development in the third movement.
This piece was first performed in 1967 under the direction of William H. Hill who has recorded two of this composer's works for brasses. Hill was at that time and for many years the director of the Symposium for Contemporary Music for Brass held annually at Georgia State University.
Suite for Piano Four-Hands
Suite for Piano Four-Hands written in 1959 is the oldest work in this album. It consists of six movements which range in length from 90 seconds to 5 seconds. The movements are:
I. Overture (ca. 60 seconds)
II. Chorale (ca. 90 seconds)
III. March (ca. 30 seconds)
IV. Waltz (ca. 15 seconds
V. Etude (ca. 5 seconds)
VI. Fugue (ca. 40 seconds)
A program note at an early performance stated that "each movement is the length of a television commercial so that the performers will not have to miss any of their favorite programs."
Wings for Our Soul
This composer has written much music, choral and instrumental, intended for use in church services, including several pieces for violin and organ. Wings for Our Soul in this collection is meditative and is decidedly romantic in vocabulary. The title comes from a poetic fragment in a sermon by the Rev. Jasper N. Keith, Jr. It was written in 1993 and was originally performed by Martin Sauser, violin, and Porter Remington, organ, at the Druid Hills Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, Georgia.
Music for Brass Quintet and Piano
The Georgia Association of Music Teachers commissioned Music for Brass Quintet and Piano in 1983. A simple scale is the basis of the fanfare-like opening section which recurs in ritornello fashion throughout and at the end of the work. This scale is also the source of all the themes in the work: the two allegro themes, a lento theme and the scherzo-like theme in the center of the piece. A formal outline of the single movement follows:
fanfare
allegro 1
allegro 2
fanfare
lento
fanfare
scherzo
scherzo
scherzo
lento
allegro 1 (fugato)
fanfare
allegro 2
fanfare
The three scherzo sections are identical, except that a metric modulation increases the tempo with each repetition.
Notes by the composer
October, 1996
The Composer
Charles Knox (b. 1929) is a former student of Bernhard Heiden at Indiana University where he received the Ph.D. degree. Knox has written over 100 compositions and received commissions for conventional media as well as such unusual combinations as bassoon choir and tuba octet. His most recent compositions are a short opera, Workshop, a symphony for saxophone orchestra, and a duo for piano and keyboard percussion entitled Attempted Claviercide. He is a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, the
American Music Center and the Southeastern Composers League and is Professor Emeritus of Music at Georgia State University in Atlanta.
The Performers
Brice Andrus is principal horn with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.*° Richard Brady, trombone, is a member of the Peachtree Brass. *° Alan Brown, horn, is a member of the Peachtree Brass. *° Michael Cebulski, percussion, is a member of the faculty of several Atlanta-area colleges.° Dwight Coleman, speaker on this recording, has appeared in leading bass-baritone roles with the Atlanta Opera Company and others and is Assistant Professor of Music at Georgia State University.* Jonathan Dlouhy is principal oboe with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.* Cary Lewis, piano, is a member of the Lanier Trio and is Professor of Music at Georgia State University.* Dorothy Lewis, cello, is a member of the Lanier Trio.* Geoffrey Haydon, piano, is a member of the American Music Trio.* Teresa Hopkin, soprano, is a member of the music faculty of Emory University and has appeared in leading roles with the Atlanta Opera Company and others. Paul Jackson, trumpet, is a member of the Peachtree Brass.* Harry Maddox is principal trombone with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.° Beth Newdome, violin, is Assistant Concertmaster with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. William Rappaport is principal second clarinet with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.* Christina Smith is principal flute with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.* Oliver Steiner, violin, is Associate Professor of Music at George State University.* Donald Strand, tuba, is a member of the Peachtree Brass.* Thomas Wallace, trumpet, is a member of the Peachtree Brass and is a composer and arranger.
* member of the faculty of the School of Music, Georgia State University
° alumnus of the School of Music, Georgia State University
Acknowledgments
The composer and the artistic director gratefully acknowledge the Georgia State University Research Foundation, Cleon Arrington, President; the College of Arts and Sciences, Ahmed T. Abdelal, Dean; John B. Haberlen, Associate Dean for Fine Arts; and the School of Music, Donald K. Taebel, Acting Director, for research grants for creative projects which made this recording possible.
Recorded and mastered at Allgood Productions in Atlanta, Georgia, William Allgood, recording engineer.
Cover photo by Anne Church.
Charles Knox
Clouds are not Spheres (11:17)
Christina Smith, flute · Dorothy Lewis, cello · Cary Lewis, piano
Song and Double (5:17)
Jonathan Dlouhy, oboe · Cary Lewis, piano
Semordnilap
I. MadAm I'm AdaM .I (1:52)
II. a Man, a Plan, a Canal, PanaMa .II (1:55)
III. AblE was I ere I saw ElbA .III (1:19)
IV. Poor Dan is in a DrooP .IV (2:07)
V. 1991 .V (1:39)
Christina Smith, flute · Teresa Hopkin, soprano
Michael Cebulski, marimba · Cary Lewis, piano
Dwight Coleman, speaker
Scherzos (11:59)
Brice Andrus, horn · Beth Newdome, violin
Dorothy Lewis, cello · Cary Lewis, piano
Rounds About (6:19)
I. Round One (1:12)
II. Interlude (:59)
III. Round Two (1:41)
IV. Interlude (:55)
V. Round Three (1:32)
Oliver Steiner, violin ·William Rappaport, clarinet
Harry Maddox, trombone · Michael Cebulski, percussion
Music for Brass Quintet
I. Allegro (3:32)
II. Andante (1:26)
III. Allegro (3:25)
The Peachtree Brass
Paul Jackson & Thomas Wallace, trumpets · Alan Brown, horn Richard Brady, trombone · Donald Strand, tuba
Suite for Piano, Four-Hands
I. Overture (:59)
II. Chorale (1:29)
III. March (:27)
IV. Waltz (:19)
V. Etude (:06)
VI. Fugue (:44)
Geoffrey Haydon & Cary Lewis, piano
Wings for Our Soul (2:16)
Oliver Steiner, violin ·Cary Lewis, piano
Music for Brass Quintet & Piano (11:47)
Paul Jackson & Thomas Wallace, trumpets
Alan Brown, horn · Richard Brady, trombone
Donald Strand, tuba · Cary Lewis, piano
Total Time = 71:22
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