El Jaleo

Instrumentation

flute, clarinet in B♭, marimba (with two bows), piano, violin and cello

Duration

5 minutes

Score

View the score

Program Notes

I recently discovered the Spanish word jaleo, which can mean both a dance, and a din or commotion. This piece tries to be both of those things. Though not particularly tonal, it is based around the scale A♭-B♭-C-D-E-F♯-G. It is constructed from motifs built from that scale, over a constant eighth note pulse. The piece starts quietly and builds inexorably toward the frenetic climax inspired by traditional Guatemalan dances, and then ends enigmatically, as it started.