w19145
| Title | Xi: Imaginary Numbers |
| Contributors |
Claire McCue (composer) |
| Composition date | 2010 2010 |
| Duration (mins) | 9 |
| Category | ensemble mixed |
| Instrumentation | Cl (B-Cl) Hn Gu Perc 2Vn Va Vc Db |
| Commissioned by | |
| Key signature | |
| First line | |
| First performed | |
| Notes | |
| Programme Note | An imaginary number, in mathematics, is a number that takes the form "Xi" where X is a non-zero real number and "i" is the square root of minus 1, known as the imaginary unit. In writing this piece, I was interested in the similarity in music and mathematics between the perceived and the imagined. How can something that is physically very real (eg aspects of voltage, engineering designs etc), be defined purely with an imaginary number? Is music real or imaginary while it exists only in the mind...or even on the page? When a composer defines a time signature and tempo but changes the rhythmic accents and groupings within that, is it still really in that time signature although we could write or perceive it as something else? The opening (and main) time signature of 11/8 was derived mainly from the "Xi" notation (roman numerals of 11) but also as an association to square roots of 1 (1 and -1). The 1 and -1 also prompted the opening semi-tone which remains throughout the piece. |
This work is associated with the following collection items:
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