July 2022 – Professional website of Maurick Reuser

10 July 20223 October 2022

Refractions II

For symphonic orchestra. Sketched at SoundMine 2022, a composition internship in collaboration with HERMESensemble and Center Henri Pousseur. In the beautiful surroundings of Grand Commandery Alden Biesen, a group of young composers receives expert coaching for a week to fully develop their compositional qualities.

Refraction is the bending of curing of light or sound when it encounters a medium. For more information about the phenomenon, see this post about the first musical model, Refractions I!

While in Refractions I, the slowing down of a beam of light when it encounters a medium is modelled by changing the rhythms (but leaving the underlying tempo intact!), in Refractions II, the tempo changes. The medium is now a compelling and colourful orchestration and although the tempo changes, the original pulse is always maintained throughout in the percussion, resulting in very confusing and conflicting polymeters. See Model 2 below.

Scoring
2 Flutes (2nd also piccolo)
2 Oboes
2 Clarinets in B flat (2nd also Bass Clarinet)
2 Bassoons

4 Horns
3 Trumpets (in C)
3 Trombones
Tuba

Timpani
Two percussionist

Strings

10 July 202215 July 2022

Refractions I

For vibraphone and piano. Written at SoundMine 2022, a composition internship in collaboration with HERMESensemble and Center Henri Pousseur. In the beautiful surroundings of Grand Commandery Alden Biesen, a group of young composers receives expert coaching for a week to fully develop their compositional qualities.

Refraction is the turning or bending of a light or sound wave when it passes from one medium to another. Most people are familiar with refraction: a common example is putting a straight stick under water, which seems curved when observed. For the source, i.e. the stick, the path is straight, although for the observer, the path is curved. This bending is a result of the changing speed of the wave/particle, which is dependent on the difference in density of the mediums. When the wave hits the medium at an angle, its course changes, thus we speak of refraction.

Refractions I explores a special case of refraction: one where a wave meets the medium at a right angle. Thus the speed of the wave changes, but not the direction. This is modelled musically by setting a fixed and steady pulse, which is manipulated when one of the performers encounters a colourful symmetric chord. An interplay of various polymeters is the result! The Model 1 below.