Djinn (2006) [7']

Premiere: Matt Scott, Atlanta, GA, 12/8/2006
Additional performance: Graduate Recital, Atlanta, GA 2/2/07

A Djinn, or genie, is a spiritual being closely associated with Islam and the Middle East. Not always confined to lamps, djinn can be benevolent or malevolent. In fact, one type of djinn in pre-Islamic times was the ghul, from which we derive the word "ghoul." This is probably the type of djinn we meet in this piece. A cold desert night, we hear his serpentine temptations, which may lead us to riches or ruin. All of the source material for the tape part comes from the trombone, manipulated in various ways, and the trombone's material is based upon the pitch collection played by the tape at the very end. From there, I created a theme from which the rest of the trombone's material is developed.

Score

Recording: Matt Scott, trombone