Andrew Norman is a fabulous newer composer of dissonant music that bridges his two passions—music and architecture. In his work, he uses whole tones in dissonant fashions and high registers to make it sound like you are atop a building in New York or Philadelphia. In his work, “Gypsy,” a play is construed for orchestra that has soaring, high brass and woodwinds with various string instruments roaming around the texture. This symbolizes the first movement of the piece—a very festive one.
The next movement of over 20 minutes is very trip—featuring what sounds like audience noise or extreme tape echo and strings sliding downward from all different registers, creating this feel like you’re in an elevator that never stops going down. This is followed in certain instances by a loud flute or trumpet note amongst the crowd of strings and clashing cymbals. “Play Level 3” or movement three on the piece is very whimsical and returns to a much more consonant tonality of E Minor going to G major with strings whimsically going about and again high trumpet and other brass following suit giving peaks and valley to a saturated and brilliantly illustrated texture. What this reviewer thinks of is you’re in this busy and contested world and parts of you are starting to stand out. Breaking out of a situation—that’s what it sounds like to this reviewer. The last part of the piece “Try” presents another canary trying to burst out of a cage. This time, higher woodwinds like flutes and piccolo are used to cultivate a sense of running around, trying to escape a situation. Horns and trombones act like swords of the night standing in the way of the frenetic energy that is protruding throughout the texture. It is a very fascinating work or collection all around and I would definitely recommend it to those interested in exploring different illustrious music.
