Tower, J :: Hexachords

  • $25.00
  • Composer
    Tower, J
  • Instrumentation
    Flute Alone
  • Publisher
    American Composers Alliance [ACA-TOWJ-001]
  • Editor
    Sollberger, Harvey
  • Orchestration
    fl
  • Includes CD or Audio Download
    No
  • Classification
    Not Applicable
  • Genre
    Undefined
Qty:  

Hexachords

Tower, J

Joan Tower s monumental Hexachords, for solo flute.

Joan Tower broke with academic serialism completely in 1976, but there were signs of the coming break long before then. Hexachords, written for flutist Patricia Spencer, illustrates one step of Tower's departure. This piece uses six pitches exclusively (thus the title), but uses them without a specific order; its methods and effects stray from the serial ideal. This piece is by no means tonal but it has, nevertheless, an appealing fluidity and organic feeling.

Rather than manipulate the pitches as a tone row, Tower concentrates on exploring the capabilities of the flute in relation to these six pitches. She varies the length of vibrato, contrasts the upper and lower extremes of the flute's register, and changes dynamics, rhythm, and tempo with assured quickness. All these changes create a volatile atmosphere in which the music seems about to shift even when it is still. This feeling is emphasized by her division of the piece into five sections, which, she has written, are most easily differentiated by a sense of either going somewhere or staying somewhere.

Yet there always seems to be a musical logic to the movement, a feeling that the music is developing from itself rather than from an abstract principle - a sensation absent from much academic serial music but almost always present in Tower's work. The rhythms succeed each other in interesting ways; snatches of tunes are taken up repeatedly, and the different registers sometimes seem to assume distinct characters.

Tower writes that the counterpoint of tunes...[in Hexachords]...hopefully keeps the listener's attention, and the hope is well placed.

- Review by Andrew Lindemann Malone (AllMusic)

  • Composer
    Tower, J
  • Instrumentation
    Flute Alone
  • Publisher
    American Composers Alliance [ACA-TOWJ-001]
  • Editor
    Sollberger, Harvey
  • Orchestration
    fl
  • Includes CD or Audio Download
    No
  • Classification
    Not Applicable
  • Genre
    Undefined

All online purchases greater than $200 (before tax) are eligible for free shipping within the US. (Some Exceptions apply.) Online purchases over $200 being shipped to locations outside the United States do not qualify for free shipping. 

Items returned from a purchase utilizing the free shipping offer that brings the original invoice under $200 will result in the original shipping charge being re-applied.

Once shipment has reached its destination according to the shipping carrier tracking information selected, Carolyn Nussbaum Music Company is no longer responsible for the package.

*Please note that some items may vary slightly from the pictures on our website as manufacturers make changes to their products.

We accept Visa, Mastercard, and Discover for online purchases up to $10,000.

You may also assemble your order online and pay offline using the "Offline Payment" payment method during the checkout process. In this case, once you submit your order, you will be contacted via phone or email for payment details before your order is processed. For offline orders we accept personal checks, bank checks, money orders, or travelers checks, with other legal tender acceptable only per arrangement.


Customers who bought this product also bought

Customers who viewed this product bought