Talisman — Suite for Sinfonietta (2026)
1 full score (PDF)
1 errata list (PDF)
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Instrumentation:
Flute/Piccolo/Alto Flute
Oboe/English Horn
Clarinet in Bb/Bass Clarinet in Bb
Alto Saxophone/Baritone Saxophone
Horn in F
2 Percussion
Harp
Piano
2 Violins
Viola
Violoncello
Duration: ca. 16-17 minutes
I. Incantation
II. Ritual
III. Chasse
IV. Raidho
V. Thrash & Burn
VI. Adieu
“The diversity of sounds that emerged from this work were remarkable…Very enjoyable.”
Program note:
Talisman is a six-movement musical suite of protection against the tumult and chaos of our current world. While the six miniatures present as aesthetically disparate on the surface, hidden sinews bind these seemingly unrelated snapshots together into a whole through pitch relationships, borrowed rhythmic motives, and mirrored orchestrational pairings. The first three and final two movements are performed attacca.
The piccolo beckons us to join the mystical sound world of “Incantation” which transitions without pause into the three-part “Ritual.” Each player contributes to an accumulating ostinato that drives toward the second part of the ritual in which the ensemble divides into three consorts: woodwinds, percussion, and the grouping of horn, harp, piano, and low strings. A solo violin, enveloped by gentle rustling from the ensemble, concludes the ritual in a prolonged ethereal afterglow. The sprightly third movement emerges from the afterglow like a lucky charm dancing all around, but blink and you just might miss the “Chasse.” Named for the Elder Futhark rune ᚱ, “Raidho” symbolizes rhythm, riding, or the journey of one’s life as a whole. The playful and jaunty opening melody forms the basis for the entire movement—twisting, turning, and rotating into an obsessive loop that builds energy into a sonic forcefield until it suddenly evaporates. Like a cubist sound sculpture, “Thrash & Burn,” recalls, re-layers, and recontextualizes elements from each preceding movement, while also foreshadowing the last. The closing movement again arrives attacca, presenting a sparsely ornamented woodwind multiphonic chorale—a final meditative act of protection as a last “Adieu.”
Talisman was commissioned by the Chicago Center for Contemporary Composition and premiered by the Grossman Ensemble, conducted by David Bloom.