Semi-tonality

Johnson, David

About the work

This piece was originally composed as an exercise in modern harmony. It has only had one complete performance during an end of course recital, in Barnsley, South Yorkshire. It should be realised that the piece should be played in its entirety as no movement is meant to stand alone. The harmonic construction of the piece is based around two sets of three notes, each note being a semitone from its neighbour (from where the piece gets its name). There are elements of many styles of composition in the piece including Klangfarbenmusik, Baroque, constructionist and the Baroque style fugue with its counterpoint, is actually a mirror image, with a mid-point, where the piece is actually played backwards. To this was added a Codetta to provide a final excrutiating cadence, ending with a suspension of the tonic note (ish) adding the minor 7th and then the major 7th.

First Performance: May 1995, Barnsley College, South Yorkshire

Technical notes

First movement in 5/4 time. Long periods of rest in other movements. Fugue has some triplet playing. Minimalist in style with some choral-type passages. Uses baroque concerto grosso forms.