Uncategorized – Jason Taurins

Here are some things which have been occupying me musically and personally over the last week.

This week’s post will continue the discussion of techniques in my work Leviathan. Personally, life goes on much as it has. I’m grateful to have lots of time to write and be home with my dogs. The first notes of the #2024saxophoneproject are on the page. There is still time to join! I’m working on this with my composition teacher.

Feel the shimmering heat of the desert southwest? Draft of mm. 1-4 of *Poem for the American Southwest.*

On with Leviathan (click here for the full recording).

Technique #4 – Extended Techniques
I would hardly be a good modern composer if I didn’t take advantage of the range of sounds which can be performed on the instruments I write for! Just a few from Leviathan include the absence of meter, the use of a metal scraping implement in the piano, indeterminate notation in the piccolo and cello, the use of boxed cells which are freely repeated, forearm and palm clusters in the piano, and alternative bowing techniques for the cello. In the examples below, time is indicated by the number of seconds each bar should last (approximately).

Box notation and free meter, along with piano extended techniques. *Leviathan*, mm. 48-50.

Technique #5 – Structured Improvisation
Structured improvisation gives a loose framework around which the creativity of the performer takes precedence. In my case, a mix of pre-written and improvised materials make up a significant portion of the work, with solo cadenzas for each instrument, punctuated with violent stabs from the piano.

The third of the cadenzas in *Leviathan*, mm. 89-96. Brilliantly performed in the premiere recording.

Technique #6 – Collage/Quotation
Why do I call my music metamodern? In a sense it is because I use techniques of both modern and postmodern composers with a mix of sincerity and irony. This is a technique used by postmodern composers – mixing in pre-existing music in new and exciting ways. Leviathan ends with quotes of two hymns, one by Bach, the other the familiar Old 100th. The battle march which begins the section is a not-so-subtle not to Holst as well. See if you can find other references hidden in the music (full performance video with score).