Clarinetist Cory Tiffin premiered my composition Reste at the UNLV Nextet Concert March 14, 2016. Joining him was Luigi Ng on vibraphone, and Jae Ahn-Benton on piano. What a beautiful performance!
The French definition of reste is “to remain or stay.” It is fascinating how we may not remember activities or conversations we had yesterday or even minutes prior, but we would recall vivid details about specific events in the more distant past. As we recall these events more than once, did some details change over time, and if so, how real is this memory? I came across this quote from the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy on the concept of Memory: “The very idea of truth in memory, and the attendant possibility of error, implies that we are naturally realists about the past: but this fact about us doesn’t dictate answers to questions about just how, or how often, we do remember past truly.” Relating this to my composition, the eight-note motive first played in the vibraphone and piano that continually return throughout represent the objective memories that remain with us over time that may or may not help shape our identity (i.e., the actual event versus our own perception/interpretation). The clarinet part contains fragments from the motive along with other melodic material that shapes the lines, representing the subjectivity we have when recalling past events, and how our own interpretations can creep in and re-shape the memories we have over time.
Reste will also be performed at the New Music at the Green Mill Series in Chicago May 1, 2016.