Skew

2 Ob, 2 Cl, 2 Bsn, 2 Hn, Tpt (or Sax), DB (1997)
12 mins

Skew was commissioned by the Nederlands Blazers Ensemble for performance at the Muziekcentrum, Utrecht on 28 January 1997.
This piece was conceived and composed as one complete movement. I intended that the music within this structure would travel from one plateau to another, flitting both harmonically and texturally through diverse and juxtaposed blocks of music before grabbing at the stability of new tonal centres.
I wanted the music to transmit a strong rhythmic momentum, negotiating the sharp corners of intercut passages, extended or truncated, and framed between syncopated ostinati of equal or unequal groupings, whilst maintaining a constant tempo.
By placing familiar harmonic progressions in this context I wished to create a somewhat perverse ambience, slightly off centre, slightly bemused.