DISASSOCIATION

the left runs in a circle - relentless arrhythmia

a rhythmic etude for two violins

Michael Roth

In June, 2019, I considered it a very interesting perhaps worthwhile challenge to compose a piece like this in a month -

a piece for two violins that reflected and concerned itself with the kind of rhythmic intensity and contrapuntal ideas that i concentrate on in my chamber writing - in some ways this is like two electric guitars riffing, trading licks - but it is for sure two violins -

And for want of a better term it really should rock - the musicians should enjoy the intensity of that statement -

whatever it might mean to either of them - and - if it's possible, in performance

the two players shouldn't be all that close to each other, they can even face each other, counter each other to some extent -

so there's a bit of visual interest & dynamic to the counterpoint too.

DISASSOCIATION was finished on the 4th of July - that can mean whatever it means to whoever reads this, though an edge to that meaning wouldn't be wrong - the earth quakes, the tanks roll, the violins, not exactly Nero-like in their aspect, play on

my work has been described as "music once could imagine Ives composing had he encountered rock and roll and beat poetry" -

it's also been described as “a mix between Elliot Carter and Fats Domino” -

if these descriptions are useful in looking at and understanding or appreciating this submission -

even appreciating the title DISASSOCIATION - and the subtitles as well perhaps - that's fine -

exaggerate all glisses, tremelos and snaps when you see them - likewise any pont indications and distortions

(even if they only happens a few times) - the accented staccato marks are really there

because they sounded best that way in finale playback - more likely in playing them for real they are not quite staccato,

more just heavily accented, though not especially tenuto either - - the composition was finished in about a month -

this demo is to be sure a very rough demo put together very quickly - in a day on July 4 -

using finale playback and digital sounds.

Quickly put together solo violin sounds tend to be more synthy than accurate in this sort of context,

please indulge that while listening - and please use the demo only as a reference of sorts, not as an accurate guide -

my hope is it will intrigue you as to the possibilities of DISASSOCIATION,

this new piece, this dense and highly rhythmic etude - live -

DISASSOCIATION - FOR TWO VIOLINS