Corale e Toccata

"Corale e Toccata" for Brass Trio is a piece that, on the outset, seems exactly as it sounds - a chorale, and then a toccata (followed by a brief return to the chorale). However, both of the sections contain notable differences from a traditional chorale or toccata, respectively. The chorale is not based on any particular melody- rather the focus is more purely on the polyphony. A melody is created through the introduction of sustained notes, in which each instrument does not play more than 2 successive notes of the melody at a time. In some areas, through this interplay of sustain and melody, an auditory illusion is created, wherein it sounds as if there are 4 notes at once, which is impossible. In the toccata, the general concept of virtuosic fast-moving passages is kept, however a new layer is added to the virtuosic aspect - the virtuosic interplay between instruments is examined through constantly shifting balances and dialogues."