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flute and marimba

Commission: Duo Meunier-Breault

A jet stream forms when a warm tropical current from the tropics meets a cold polar current. The strong thermal contrast forces the air to flow horizontally and as the earth rotates, this rapidly moving air gains speed and produces a jet stream. With this in mind, I wanted to create two contrasting musical elements which, through their distinct character, meet, clash, merge and create a “musical current”.

The first musical element consists of an organisation of durations developed from ancient classical Middle Eastern rhythms. By contrast, the second element is based more on sustained melodic lines influenced by the Arabic musical form taqasim: an improvisation structured by the mode that governs it.