composer

Nielson, Lewis

Lewis Nielson (b. 1950) studied music at the Royal Academy of Music in London, England, Clark University in Massachusetts and the University of Iowa, receiving a Ph.D. in Music Theory ...

related works

Tocsin (Die fünf Jahreszeiten) : for percussion sextet / Lewis Nielson

Genre: Chamber music
Subgenre: Percussion
Scoring: 6perc

Clarinet-Kwintet : for clarinet and string quartet / Hans Lachman

Genre: Chamber music
Subgenre: Mixed ensemble (2-12 players)
Scoring: cl 2vn vla vc

Sonate for an odd couple : for violin, percussion and pre-recorded percussion / Marijn Simons

Genre: Chamber music
Subgenre: Mixed ensemble (2-12 players)
Scoring: vl perc

The Endless Circle : for chamber orchestra / Julia Tsenova

Genre: Chamber music
Subgenre: Mixed ensemble (2-12 players)
Scoring: fl h pf 2vln vla vc db

 

composition

Axis (Sandman) : for percussion and string quintet / Lewis Nielson

Publisher's number: 20812
Genre: Chamber music
Subgenre: Mixed ensemble (2-12 players)
Scoring: perc 2vn vla 2vc
Remarks: Written for and dedicated to Steven Schick. Also available in the version for percussion and string orchestra.
Duration: 14'30"
Number of players: 6
Year of composition: 2005
Status: fully digitized (real-time delivery)

Description:
Axis has no overt process that directs its motion but does have a gradually evolving motion toward greater coordination of attack rhythm and sound focus, manifested primarily through stabilization in the percussion on particular instruments for increasing periods of time. A kind of symbiosis exists between strings and percussion (not and NEVER an opposition!) that facilitates, and occasionally redirects, this motion. The sound of the piece does not depend in any way on its pitch content, which was determined solely as a function of timbre. The compositional challenge was to write for strings as if they were multiple percussion set-ups within themselves and arrive at a combinative structure whose progress is directed by rhythm and timbre only. While there is no final performance set-up of the total ensemble that I would consider essential, an arrangement where the strings were somehow to be arrayed around the percussionist would be ideal, providing the performers can see and communicate with each other, that all sounds can be perceived individually, and, if a conductor is used, line of sight to him or her is not impeded. This would be ideal in the version for string orchestra. While I resist programmatic reference to visual imagery, I would find a configuration along the lines of Dante’s Celestial Rose to be ideal.
Lewis Nielson

Sheet Music
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Product Description Price/piece Count
Score Download to Newzik (B4), 48 pages EUR 24.00
Download as PDF (B4), 48 pages EUR 28.80
Hardcopy, normal size (B4), 48 pages EUR 48.01
Hardcopy, study size (A4), 48 pages EUR 39.40
Part(s) Download to Newzik (A4), 90 pages EUR 31.25
Download as PDF (A4), 90 pages EUR 37.50
Hardcopy, normal size (A4), 90 pages EUR 62.50