Two Very Late Night Dances.

Abstract

Two Very Late Night Dances is a two-movement, double-concerto for two percussionists and chamber ensemble. The title of the first movement, If the Beat’s Alright She Will Dance All Night, is a quote by comedian Chris Rock from his show “Never Scared”. In the specific segment from which this quote is drawn, Rock talks about the fact that despite the misogynistic character of some songs, many people are oblivious to the lyrics as long as they can dance to the beat. My dissertation uses the steady beat as a means of providing stability in an environment of rapidly changing textures, tempos, dynamics, and attitudes. If the Beat’s Alright She Will Dance All Night is characterized by extreme mood swings. Soft vibraphone passages are interrupted by harsh cello clusters and loud odaiko hits. A duet played in moderate tempo suddenly turns into a hectic race. Wild and active climaxes collapse into soft, static, cello chords. In the second movement, Do the Awkward Stumble, a flute quartet joins the cello quartet in accompanying the percussion duo, to add color and a contrasting character, and a contrabass is added to reinforce the cello sounds in the low register. Elements that seem to appear out of nowhere in this movement - such as a syncopated staccato chord played by the flutes, a melodic cello line, and a relaxed interlude – develop a life of their own, and become important building blocks in its construction. Both movements introduce several seemingly unrelated “stories” and “main characters”. As the movements unfold, these stories and main characters are discovered to be, in retrospect, very related. The duration of the piece is about 20 minutes.