Beth Anderson
Net Work
Year: 1984
Duration (in minutes): 11
Difficulty: Medium (college/community)
Category: larger chamber ensembles - more than 4 players, piano
Instruments: alto saxophone, piano, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone
Publisher: available from the composer
Publisher website: www.beand.com
Video Links: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZxh9pDwh4w
Description: A series of rhythmic variations originally commissioned as a sextet by the Commotion Dance Company for contact-improvisation. A few years later a shorter version of that piece for piano solo was commissioned by choreographer Donna Oberstein for Montclair State College. The original tune was augmented and extended creating rhythmic surprises and a powerful rhythmic drive. The harmony is based on a I-v-I cadence and the melody is reminiscent of a Spanish folk melody. The introduction foreshadows the tonal centers of the first seven variations while changing meter from 8/4 to 7/4 to 6/4 and so on. This piece is also available as a sextet for 4 saxophones and 2 keyboard instruments which was performed at the University of Wisconsin, on Meet The Woman Composer series in NYC, and in Iceland. Recorded on North/South CD, Two By Three Music By Women, performed by Mary Kathleen Earnst. Also performed by Joseph Kubera and Artis Wodehouse.