cheryl lynne skinner: Music

• MP3 short clip, hi-fi play (broadband)
• MP3 short clip, lo-fi play (modem)

8. All Strung Out

This jazz waltz featuring flute, jazz trio with strings attached was my personal favorite. It is the only piece where the string quartet improvisation is written out. Initially, the string parts were recorded on the keyboard and played as an improvised piano part then later transcribed for string quartet.
The dance begins with the ostinato pattern that is stated in the vibes and is carried throughout the entire piece. The viola opens the dialogue in the introduction. The melody is stated in the first chorus by synthesized voices and the bass flute. It is repeated in the second chorus by the flute. The flute. bass flute and piccolo play only a support role in this work. The improvisation starts in the viola gradually adding in all strings. The second string chorus builds to climax broken by the hemiola in the marimba/vibes answered with the 2nd motif like a call & response. This next section has ascending and descending lines simultaneously. The last section has descending thirds layered by instruments answered by the 2nd motif that is then echoed. This is a traditional 12 bar blues form repeated 4 times with an intro and a tag.
The visual artist’s Paulina Constancia’s motivation for the artwork------“Sometimes having the musicians hold on to their instruments even in moments of REM, makes the viewer think that ‘musicians’ rest doesn’t mean abandon’-they dream and when they awake, translate dreamscapes into marvelous melodies”. Paulina Constancia, the visual artist
Web notes:
Blue gemstones are the color of the Oceans that cover 70% of the earth, the color of mystical sleep and of deep twilight.
They are ruled by the element water and the planet Neptune and the god Neptune (who is the symbol of the deep subjective psyche in man, the creator of our nightly dreams).