April 19, 1998
Borden Auditorium
Manhattan School of Music Composer's Orchestra
New York, NY
Glenn Cortese, Conductor
Revised 2015 Premiere
May 9, 2015
Clemens Center
Orchestra of the Southern Fingerlakes
Elmira, NY
Toshiyuki Shimada, Conductor
The Alchemists' Ball is the somewhat whimsical journey of a four-note motive. This opening motive, first played by the metal percussion instruments, develops throughout the work in a kind of "alchemical" way, finally reappearing as funk accompanied by a rock/jazz rhythm section. A dark underpinning, emerging from a four-note double bass chord, permeates the work and is finally absorbed and transformed in the frantic final moments.
