Jack-in-the-Bach's Suite, Op. 53b, No. 2 (2013)

Program Notes:

The “Prelude” of this Suite was originally conceived as a stand-alone piece based upon the premise of breaking out of a frozen register: that is, a system wherein each pitch class is initially present in only one octave. For instance, the piece beings with the A above middle C, and until the frozen register is broken, the only A present is the one above middle C. I termed the work “Break-Out Toccata”, after the principle of gradually breaking out of the restrictions inherent in the frozen register. At this point, my instructor suggested expanding the Toccata into a multi-movement work. Unbidden, the idea of a Baroque suite came to mind, after the English Suites of Bach. This movement could work as a Prelude or Gigue – and I had been recently interested in Baroque music. Perhaps it wouldn’t bear much actual resemblance to a Bach suite, but it might share some abstract qualities on a very high level. I knew this was an idea I wanted to pursue.

The result is the piece now in front of you. Each movement begins in the same frozen register and breaks out more or less quickly. Although it may not be strictly adhered to for much of the work, its characteristic intervals and sonorities surely continue to exert their influence. This concept gave rise to the title "Jack-in-the-Bach's Suite", welding together the ideas of breaking out and Bach suites. Each movement is named after a Baroque dance found in one of Bach’s English Suites. The only minor change in order, switching the Courante and Sarabande, was made in order to have what I felt was a better balance of “fast” and “slow” movements.