The Big Wind-UP
The Big Wind-Up was written for Wind-Up Elephant, a duo comprised of Robert Fleitz (toy piano) and Carrie Frey (toy viola). It uses two algorithmically-composed patterns of triads with alternating whole and half-step motion in overlapping registers of the two toy pianos. The two hands/pianos phase in and out of sync, one moment distorting and the next moment colluding in an ever-accelerating arc. The toy viola sometimes joins with them and other times soars above them in gushing, Romantic gestures. The advantage of the "toy" viola is that it can do extreme scordatura that a normal viola could not. Together, their energy builds and builds until they can go no higher/faster!
