Drifting

Description

Violin 1, Violin 2, Violin 3, Viola, Cello, Contrabass, Piano — The musical passages in this piece for string orchestra conjure images of something, perhaps a leaf, gently drifting down a river in the woods. It journeys through twists and turns, placid streams and roaring rapids, eventually making a grand entrance into open waters. As Drifting opens, soft pizzicato strings are uttered in the lower string voices, while the upper voices slowly swell into the appearance of the main motive in m. 9. This theme develops and passes through several voices until being replaced by a new motive in m. 36, accompanied by driving rhythms and frequent modulations. A powerful resurgence of the original motive occurs in m. 60. Melodic remnants of the previous sections are presented in a new fashion as the piece comes to a dramatic close with all voices playing in rhythmic unison in the closing measures. Composed by Bruce W. Tippette, Driftingutilizes musical passages to allude to the image of something drifting down a river in the woods. It journeys through twists and turns, placid streams and roaring rapids, eventually making a grand entrance into open waters.

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