Tin Phase

By Theo Parrott

Compositional Notes
The name Tin Phase was inspired by Steve Reichs composition
Piano phase. Piano Phase is a minimalistic composition by Steve
Reich composed in the 1960s that involved two pianos playing a
melody that was played by one piano and phased by the other,
creating a dizzying feeling in the listener. This also gave inspiration to
Tin Phase.
Tin Phase ends suddenly once all the forms of triplets are played
which is common in minimalistic music. Some other examples of
minimalistic pieces that do this include Piano Phase which ends
suddenly after the both pianos come back into phase.
Finding space to breathe is a challenge in this composition as there are
no rests or soft dynamic markings. It should be noted that the it is okay
for the player to drop the part for a couple of beats as long as it the
phase is picked up in the correct spot. Another challenge of breathing
in this piece is coming in after taking a breath. If the player is to take a
breath than he/she must be counting well as there are lots of cross-
beat rhythms.
Another difficulty of the composition is the rhythms themselves. Some
of the tough rhythms include the hemi-demi-semi quaver nonuplets,
septuplets, sextuplets and duplets. To play these well when performing
the piece, the performer must clap the rhythms slowly and with a
metronome. After the performer has done this, he/she must move that
rhythmic work on to his instrument and play the part with metronome
on their instrument.
This piece was created by starting with a hemi-demi-semi quaver
pattern being played by the Sopranino and Descant Recorders and
Handbells with a Nonuplet rhythm being played underneath by the
Shakuhachi, Treble recorder, Tin Whistle, Flageolet, Panpipes,
Subcontrabass saxophone, Contra Bassoon and Bagpipes. This bar is
repeated four times and then in the next bar, the Tin Whistle continues
this rhythm while the other instruments that were previously playing
the Nonuplets then move to the Octuplet rhythm with a beat of hemi-
demi-semi quavers at the end as the Octuplet rhythm doesnt fit. This
again is repeated four times. This pattern goes on all the way down to
hemi-demi-semi quaver duplets, with one instrument sticking to each
form of triplet. The percussive marking at the start of the Contrabass
saxophone indicates slap tonguing. There is an asterisk over the Tin
whistle part to indicate that they are to hum a note while they play.
This creates a dizzying and phasing effect, as the beat is crossed very
often. Each bar is played four times each apart from the last.