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Occam's Razor

Complete Work Title: 

Occam's Razor — seven studies for ten players

Performance Medium: 

flute (dbl. piccolo and alto flute), English horn, Bb/A clarinet (dbl. Bb bass clarinet), C/Bb trumpet, F horn, percussion, harp, harpsichord, viola, contrabass.

Movements: 
  1. estuary (chaotic fugato quasi toccata)
  2. au seuil de la ruine (notturno interrotto)
  3. one of many circles (hyperfractal variants)
  4. maßenkristalle (loxodromic chaconne)
  5. the myth of eternal return (entropic ostinato)
  6. crown knots & cascades (meta-rondo in chiasmus)
  7. time's maw (moto perpetuo)
Duration: 

c.22:00

Date Composed: 

July - December, 1994; March, 1996; June, 1998 - February, 1999

Additional Information: 

• Supported in part by a Composer Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts and a Faculty Research Grant from the University of North Texas.
• Included on the CD Equipoise — Music of Joseph Klein and William Kleinsasser (innova 611, 2005).

Performance History: 

David Dzubay, Indiana University New Music Ensemble:
• 3 December 2009; Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.

Joseph Klein, North Texas Faculty Chamber Ensemble:
• 8 March 1999; University of North Texas Winspear Hall [premiere of complete work].

David Stock, Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble:
• 16 January 1995 [movements I, III, IV, & VII only]; Rodef Shalom (Pittsburgh, PA).

Downloads & Links: 

program note

audio excerpt 1 (mp3)
II. au seuil de la ruine (notturno interrotto); J. Klein, UNT Faculty Chamber Ensemble.
audio excerpt 2 (mp3)
VI. crown knots & cascades (meta-rondo in chiasmus); J. Klein, UNT Faculty Chamber Ensemble.
Complete recording available on Equipoise (innova 611).

score (pdf)

"Music of the Metroplex" with host Kevin Sutton
Excerpts from a radio interview with composers Joseph Klein and Simon Sargon on WRR-FM (Dallas, TX), 14 December 2003; includes comments on Dog and Occam's Razor.

photograph
from May 1999 recording session for "Equipoise" CD.