Three Pieces In The Shape Of A Square (Craig Morris, Trumpet)

Liner notes state: “Philip Glass is generally regarded as a minimalist composer,” but these pieces, written as incidental music for a play based Jean Genet’s 1986 novel, Prisoner of Love, are quite melodic, and richly explore harmonies, rhythms and musical texture. Trumpeter Craig Morris chose trumpets he felt were “most suitable” for each melody: flugelhorn for Melodies 1, 3, 5, 8, 13; trumpet for melodies 2,6, 7, 10, 11, 12; piccolo trumpet for melodies 4, 9. Morris notes Glass’ mention of the influence of Indian music’s rhythmic structure on his use of rhythm in compositional method. Morris writes that Gradus and Piece In The Shape of a Square “are both written entirely in 8th notes and 8th rests, in lines of 32 8th notes or ‘beats’ per line, with each line consisting of smaller rhythmic block of 5-12 beats.” Both pieces repeat small snippets of melody many times using this rhythmic variability, rather than utilizing the melodic snippets themselves as the foci. If you are seeking melodies whose development you wish to savor, you won’t find them here. The focus is on rhythmic strings.