The documents, personal music collections, and artifacts contained in the Goldman Band Library at the University of Iowa

Abstract

Commissioned and premiered by James Keene and the University of Illinois Wind Symphony for the 1994 National MENC Conference, Epiphanies^ is cited by composer Ron Nelson as his most dissonant work. It utilizes an octatonic-based structure, with the primary scale patterns being derivative of a phone number in the same area code (217) as the University of Illinois.2 Despite this atypical inspiration, the work progresses much like the more familiar Passacaglia: Homage on B-A-C-H3, moving slowly from darkness to light, yet Epiphanies relies more heavily on the long-range motion from dissonance and octatonicism to functional tonality. The opening five measures provide the impetus for the development that will occur throughout the work. The opening D-flat, the second pitch in the octatonic set, immediately is scored against a C, but is reset against C sonorities so often, it almost functions as a separate-yetequal octatonic center, while the fundamental pitch, which will eventually become the functional tonic, remains C. These two "tonics" representing the two main areas of the work, are used simultaneously throughout the opening section to create tension that must eventually be resolved. This conflict creates a rich harmonic palate for the interjected fanfare motives occurring throughout the opening of the work. The first 26 measures serve to establish harmonic areas derived from both the octatonic scale based around the second tone, D-flat, and the initial dissonance established between D- flat and C. This harmonic structure expands to include half-step dissonances between F-sharp and G, as well as A and B-flat, and whole step dissonances between G and A, D-flat and E- flat, and finally B-flat and C. These dissonances function initially as isolated events, but as the texture becomes increasingly dense, the dissonances begin to function differently, with the single tone D-flat - C dissonance expanding to include groups of bi-tonal chords. This is realized through the juxtaposition of A and C set against a G diminished chord, F-sharp diminished against G diminished, and F-sharp diminished against an incomplete B-flat minor4. Measure 15 also proves to be structurally significant as it combines the pitches F-sharp, C, G, and D-flat. Interestingly, this moment5 highlights, in truncated fashion, the long-range tonal and structural issues in this work. Simultaneous F-sharp against G and C against D-flat, half-step dissonances from the opening of the work, can also be realized as F-sharp against C and G against D-flat, intervallic fifths (tritones) which foreshadow the eventual functional harmonic framework as the work progresses, even though they are still cast strongly within an obvious octatonic frame. The areas of increasing harmonic and textural complexity finally coalesce at m. 19 when the existing bi-tonality is condensed to a single ?-flat minor-minor seventh sonority. A widening of tessitura at this point, encompassing a greater span of octaves, also serves to mark this moment. Even though Nelson provides a semblance of functional tonal reprieve, he immediately begins to reestablish dissonances, arriving at m. 27 on an 1 1 -pitch chord. It is this arrival point that sets in motion the final long-range tonal goal, which will play out until the end of the work. Nelson's conspicuous exclusion of the G-natural is more symbolic than functional on a surface level, but the G-natural will eventually become the dominant of C major at the conclusion of the piece, so its absence predicts its eventual appearance as a functionally significant harmonic event at a background structural level. It is also noteworthy that Nelson would choose to foreshadow a primary shift to functional harmony in the most dissonant, atonal-seeming moment in the entire work. The arrival at measure 30 begins a second structural area. The octatonic-based fanfares now appear interspersed within chorale-like phrases that serve to highlight the gradual shifting from sporadic, and even aleatorie gesture, to more long-range motions with harmonic implications. …