Frederic Rzewski: Pocket Symphony

Pocket Symphony, for six instruments (flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, and percussion), was written in 1999-2000 for the (then) Cincinnati-based group “Eighth Blackbird.” I sketched it out, without a very clear idea of the instrumentation, in a couple of weeks at the end of the summer in 1999, but didn’t look at it again until several months later, when some other projects were finished. Only then I realized that it was actually symphonic, although, unlike other pieces I had done for orchestra, this one was lighter and could travel, and thus had some chance of actually getting performed.

It’s in six movements, in each of which one of the band has a more or less leading role (the fifth movement is a piano solo). Mostly the six players use their instruments in traditional ways (although they had asked me to include some vocalizing, I thought this was too risky): but occasionally the percussionist is asked to perform some odd jobs, playing things like trash can lid, rain-stick, jews’ harp or bull roarer. Like many of my pieces, this one seems to contain a number of classical references, although it would be hard to say exactly what they are; and there are no literal quotes. If I had to name a single source, or rather a guardian spirit for this music, I would invoke Shostakovich, who has always been one of my favorite composers. - Frederic Rzewski