Tidal Forces

On the surface, Tidal Forces is a water piece. From Claude Debussy’s La Mer to Mason Bates’s Liquid Interface, composers from every decade have sought to musically romanticize the meditative, the majestic, and, at times, the destructive power of water. Above all, the music is meant to be a celebration of life ever-changing and to some degree even a spiritual reflection on these invisible strings that bind us together.

At m. 122, a metric modulation from simple to compound meter submerges the listener into a more lyrical world. Take note that the eighth note remains constant, but that the pulse now changes from quarter note equals 152 to the dotted quarter note equals ca. 100.

The woodwind trill in m. 144 should begin quickly, and then decelerate, relaxing into the single sustained note by the downbeat of m. 145. Upon arriving at m. 174, the performers are asked to sing quietly, in octaves, on an “oo” vowel and to close to a hum by m. 184. If the A-flat is too long it can be sung an active higher. Although most of the band will be vocalizing, this drone should be very subtle and should not mask the sparsely scored thematic material above it.