Scenes from Babbitt Square
2004 (rev. 2013)
approx. duration 7 minutes
Instrumentation
Solo Piano
Notes
At its core, Scenes from Babbitt Square is (in a sense) a twelve-tone, serial work, written using a matrix from which structure and pitch content were decided. But by turning this analytical tool on its side and drawing tonal/centric clusters as source material, a very different sort of music emerges.
Focusing on folkish Americana harmonies and minimalist techniques, the piece comes across as an almost impressionistic narrative, hinting at various scenes. It unfolds in an almost programmatic fashion, although not a specific story is being told. Listeners have described it as “an evening stroll through a town square, looking at the different shops and people along the way,” and, “I picture myself sitting inside on a rainy day, watching people passing by the window, each with their own character and purpose.”