Counting my Numberless Fingers

Campkin, Alexander

About the work

Counting my Numberless Fingers opens in a fast, lively tempo in 5/4. Some of the time precise pitches are notated; at other times only approximate pitches are notated and a three-line stave is used – a method which generates a spectrum of pitches. In contrast to the fast, homophonic opening, the second section is in free time. Melodic lines arise and overlap in different parts and at different tempi.

The fast and slow sections continue to alternate as they build in intensity, and the harmony grows to be more dissonant. The height of dissonance is reached in the final fast section which begins with a piano and percussion solo. Other instruments join and gradually break away into dissonance as the composition builds to the climatic ending.

First Performance: CoMA Summer School Thursday evening concert 2007

Origin

Call for Pieces Entry: Open Score 2007 student piece, RAM

Recording

The sample audio is from a recording by London Sinfonietta conducted by Gregory Rose on the album Open Score released by NMC. The album (NMC DL228) is available to purchase here.

Anthology

The score for this work is included in the anthology Open Score: Contemporary Music for All (ISMN: 979-0-9002363-0-2) published by CoMA in 2016. More details

Downloads

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