Quinary Coils

vibraphone, electronics

Sometimes the title for a piece arises naturally from the musical idea or material. Sometimes the title suddenly appears after laborious searching and manipulation. Sometimes, for lack of a better idea (and to meet a deadline), the title ends up being a silly, tongue-in-cheek play on words. The title for this piece happens to be a combination of the first and third of these scenarios.

“Quinary coils” is just an outré way of saying “circle of fifths,” the musical pattern that inspired much of the compositional material. The general mood of the work is somewhat playful and humorous; the electronic sounds are bubbly and energetic. The tonal implications of the cycling fifths center the music on a familiar harmonic stage, but the frenetic interplay between vibraphone and electronics keeps familiarity from predictability.