Caricatures in Motion

for wind quintet (2019)
Duration: 12’

I. Marching
II. Crawling
III. Convulsing
IV. Meandering
V. Dancing

I find it fascinating how much we can tell about people simply by the way they move.  Certain physical gestures convey a great deal of personality: whether a person struts or sulks, races or relaxes, paints a distinct portrait of their character. With this piece, I sought to depict physical motions I felt had vivid “personalities” (hence, Caricatures in Motion). 

The five “movements” (wordplay intended) are as follows: marching, crawling, convulsing, meandering, and dancing.  In the spirit of caricature, I distort and exaggerate the motions musically, yielding bizarre and often comical characters.  Thus, I encourage you not only to listen, but also to imagine these caricaturized people, and watch how they move through space.

The following recording was created by members of the HELIX New Music Ensemble under the direction of Kraig Alan Williams.