Michael G. Sinshack

A Soul's Journey is a ten minute, two movement work, written in the summer of 1996. The work was written with the intention of maintaining purely absolute music; the organization of sound and silence to be enjoyed for what it is--music.

The first movement, Aggrievement, uses all twelve pitches of the chromatic scale, which are then separated into two hexachords and used in transposition and in retrograde. The first appearance of the theme is found at the very beginning in the low wind instruments; it is then taken up by a solo clarinet. The movement utilizes the principle of "sound-mass." This is achieved by layering several motives over themselves numerous times on different divisions of the beat. These rhythmic divisions are used to create tension and add to the sound-mass principle. The closing of the movement utilizes the opposite concept. It is based on free progressions--traditional "jazz" harmonies. Solo piano, Glockenspiel, and light wind accompaniment end the movement in complete contrast to its beginning.

The second movement, Infliction, is in three large sections accompanied by a brief introduction. The opening bassoon solo introduces a four note motive, upon which much of the movement is based. After the primary introduction, the first large section begins (Vivace) utilizing a palindrome metric pattern with the reiteration of an underlying rhythmic pattern. The harmonies are unorthodox simultaneities, many of which are clusters. The melody which accompanies the above pattern is another chromatic organization used between the two movements. The second section (Adagio) begins with a long oboe solo; the harmonies which follow--primarily quartal, and unresolved--contrast with the preceding "clustered" material. In the third and final section of the movement (Moderato), there is a gradual build-up of instrumentation and of thick harmonic progressions, underneath which the timpani reiterates a constant underlying rhythm. Through this activity, the movement builds to a climax as the first theme again makes an entrance, and movement ends abruptly.