Andrew McManus, composer

Identity is a work of questioning, circuitous introspection marked by irresolvable conflicts between opposing musical elements.  Tensions between triadic tonality and serialized atonality have a single governing 12-tone row as their framework, while incredibly dense, diffuse orchestral textures are pitted against moments of clarity.  In addition, the rhythmically unclear conflicts with the mechanical.  But with its tortuous, episodic presentation of ideas, Identity can offer no solutions to these conflicts.  The result is a highly dramatic and intensely personal work.  At the opening, the unusual, diffuse sound of heavily divided strings forms a hazy backdrop to isolated percussive gestures.  As this texture approaches controlled chaos, a harsh rhythmic inflexibility emerges.  Out of this incessant cacophony emerge the strings, finally united on one pitch.  As the mechanical music slowly relents, three muted solo violins surface and elide into a slow string chorale.  The string texture expands incrementally as it intensifies, eventually reaching ultimate division as a soft, dissonant cloud.  The tonal cataclysm that follows is violently cut off, and Identity closes with nothing but a fading string haze.

Identity was premiered by the Minnesota Orchestra with Osmo Vänskä conducting as part of the 2008 Minnesota Orchestra Composer Institute.