Instrumentation: flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn
First Performance: San Francisco, Fort Mason Center, 1995.
Commissioned by The City Winds
The Citywinds, a quintet active in the 1990s, performed and toured with this piece in the 90s. Recently, Quintet Tabor clocked in at 6:29!
Composed for The Citywinds this wind quintet was first performed in San Francisco at the Fort Mason Center in 1995. The City Winds subsequently took the work on their East Coast tour in the mid 90s.
The title "Six Minutes Thirty Seconds" refers to an approximate duration. If this piece is played at the tempi indicated in the score, it will last for roughly 6:30.
Time is an important if not the most important element in music. We shape sound through the passing of time.
It used to be a convention to indicate tempo through words such as moderato, allegro, or presto. As metronomes became popular two hundred years ago, one could be more exact about speed.
Ultimately, tempo markings such as a 1/4-note = 152 were equated with terms such as Allegro. However, even with the exactitude of a metronome marking there may be fluctuations in time due to interpretation.
This wind quintet explores the Afro-Cuban rhythm called the montuño. The montuño is a repeated syncopated line or obligato often assigned to the piano in order to outline the harmonic structure. Also used are medieval rhythmic and contrapuntal devices called hocket and isorhythm.