"The Criminality On The Staircase" For Solo Tuba. Bil Smith Composer

"The Criminality On The Staircase"  

For Solo Tuba.  

Bil Smith Composer

Published by LNM Editions

Link To Full Score (PDF)

(Note; When downloading, be patient as this is a large file)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kacGONytgxJgoTiQKHG6nqlA8oX6aiQq/view?usp=sharing

My score for "The Criminality On The Staircase" for Solo Tuba presents an example of a multimodal, maximalist compositional lexicon which is underpinned by a notational ontology that navigates the complex interplay between geometric forms and musical interpretation. It mirrors a continuum that extends from the concrete to the abstract, from the geometrically symmetric to the asymmetric, and onwards to the intricacies of knotted and woven morphologies.

The notational system employed here is as revolutionary as it is ancient, drawing inspiration from the mathematical explorations of Archimedes who, in his pursuit of pi, utilized recursively truncated polygons to approximate the circle's curvature. Similarly, the score's notational framework employs a number code based on the traversal of vertices in polygonal shapes—be they convex or non-convex, symmetric or asymmetric. This traversal can occur in a clockwise or anti-clockwise direction, initiating a cycle of numbers that not only defines the shape in question but also allows for the transformation of one polygon into another through the manipulation of this code. Such a system underscores a philosophical and aesthetic inquiry into the nature of form and transformation, suggesting a fluid continuum between different states of symmetry and asymmetry, convexity and non-convexity, and extending this exploration to the realm of knotted and woven structures.

The number code, an arcane lexicon that allows for the manipulation from one polygonal shape to another, is not just notation but a narrative in itself. It tells of transformations, of the shifting landscapes of musical geometry where polygons serve not merely as symbols but as the very building blocks of composition.

This code, a cipher of sorts, speaks to the adventurous, beckoning them to alter the course of musical currents with the mere adjustment of sequences, a power that blurs the lines between composer and alchemist.

Within this esoteric framework, Pentiles—a concept borrowed from the architectural domain—find new life on curved hypersurfaces and hyperstructures, suggesting applications far beyond the scope of mere notational elements.

Yet, what of the tuba, you might ask? This humble instrument, often relegated to the background, becomes in "The Criminality On The Staircase" the vessel for this grand experiment. It is through its brass voice that the complex interplay of geometry and sound is manifested