No Two Breaths

Steven Mackey

General Info

Year: 1995
Duration: c. 15:00
Difficulty: (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Boosey
Cost: Score and Parts - $0.00   |   Score Only - $0.00

Instrumentation

Marimba
Violin

Player I:
Player II:
Player III:
Player IV:

Program Notes

Most of my music has its beginnings in physical images. When I try to convey the ideas I am working with to friends and colleagues, I find myself contorting into a dance or pose long before I can form complete sentences on the topic. Recently the physicality of the music has been extreme, muscular and extroverted but No Two Breaths is a departure. The images that enabled me to begin were indeed physical but more inward - metabolic rather than athletic. Eventually the piece does bubble up to skin level; the arms begin to move but the feet stop short of dancing.

The title was taken from a quote by the Indian singer Pandit Parnath. He said, 'No two breaths are the same'. In order to verify this, I focused on my breathing. The resulting trance sounded like the beginning of this piece. —Steven Mackey

Recent Performances

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Works for Percussion by this Composer

Busted - Multiple Percussion
It is Time - Percussion Quartet
Jango - Marimba, Guitar Quartet
Madrigal - Percussion Quartet, Soprano Voice
Micro-Concerto - Multiple Percussion, Mixed Chamber Quintet
No Two Breaths - Marimba, Violin, Percussion Quartet
See Ya Thursday - Marimba
Time Release - Multiple Percussion, Orchestra