Donemus Webshop — Morphic Waves

Other authors:
Roukens, Joey (Composer)
Description:
Morphic Waves was commissioned and first performed by the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra. Like most of my pieces, it is an eclectic work in which I tried to fuse highly diverse influences. The piece is mainly about morphing: morphing harmonies, morphing ideas and even morphing styles.
The piece starts off as a homage to American minimalism: during the opening section I use a technique borrowed from such composers as Michael Gordon and Steve Reich – the layering of regular pulses fading in and out. But this technique is only used as a starting point, generating a varied symphonic trajectory that takes the listener in very different, distinctly non-minimalist directions. Within a continuous 23-minute span various diverging sections organically morph into one another, not unlike Sibelius 7th Symphony (perhaps another inspiration on this work). Throughout the piece one can hear wave-like elements, not just in the dynamic swells, but also in the way orchestral textures expand and contract. The harmonies are, for the most part, triadic and rather dark-hued.
Already in the first few minutes the music breaks free from its minimalist tendencies: the textures soon become more active and more varied. One can hear hints of electronic dance music. Gradually the horizontal (melodic) element becomes more important, for instance when we suddenly hear a melancholy solo violin melody take over the pulsating textures, or later, when an Alberti bass motive emerges from a texture of oscillating thirds, which then gives rise to a wild unisono line played by the full orchestra. A dark section follows in which the music gradually gets more and more hectic, building up to a frenzied techno-inspired climax, after which the music subsides into a slow, highly serene coda (the sun finally breaks through…) bringing the piece to an ethereal close. In a way, this coda refers to the opening section again, with its slowly morphing harmonies, but now the repeated notes are replaced by long notes.
Joey Roukens

Sheet Music
If you are going to perform this composition, you can enter your concert information here. We will publish this information at the Donemus Facebook page and in the Donemus Concert Agenda.
You can buy the parts or other related products on-line. If you choose a downloadable product you will receive the product in digital form. In all other cases the product is sent to you physically. Please note that you require a copy of this product for every user.
Product	Description	Price/piece	Count
Score	Download to Newzik (A3), 90 pages	EUR 49.15
	Download as PDF (A3), 90 pages	EUR 58.98
	Hardcopy, normal size (A3), 90 pages	EUR 98.30
	Hardcopy, study size (A4), 90 pages	EUR 66.20
Rental Part(s)	Download to Newzik (B4), 365 pages	EUR 138.07
	Download as PDF (B4), 365 pages	EUR 165.69
	Hardcopy, normal size (B4), 365 pages	EUR 276.15

Rent
You can rent this work by purchasing a rental license for one or more performances. If you buy a license you also need to buy 1 copy of the rental parts (see above). For each performance you need to obtain a rental license. More information about renting is available at the Donemus website. Please contact Donemus Publishing if you have any questions about renting before buying a license.
Number of performances
Total license costs
0

Live broadcast
If the work is being recorded for a live radio or TV broadcast or internet stream you can easily acquire the license for this. Any broadcast within 1 year of the recording of the work is defined as a 'live' broadcast. For every broadcast you need to obtain a license.
Audio broadcast (radio, internet)
Total license costs
0
Video broadcast (TV, streaming)
Total license costs
0

CD/DVD recordings
If you want to record this work to CD or DVD you can acquire a license here. For every title you need to obtain a license.
CD/DVD titles
Total license costs
0