STRETCHPROGRAM NOTE 3/1/95

Dorothy:

Let me know if this is not OK. Of course I know that someone will probably need to take a hatchet to this, that's OK. See you Friday evening.

All the Best to you and Lucky

Paul (sent by computer fax, sorry no signature)

STRETCH composed for the Ear Unit Paul Dresher 1995 for flute/piccolo, clarinet/bass clarinet, violin, cello, piano, electronic mallet percussion, strange drum set and digital signal processor

This work is written specifically for the wonderful musicians of the California Ear Unit. The work's title derives related qualities or procedures which manifest themselves in a variety of ways in the work, some based in technology, some in compositional procedures and others in harmony. Throughout the work, a digital signal processor (a Digitech GSP 2101) is utilized allowing the material performed by the musicians to be stretched in flexible ways, particularly in time and pitch. (This device is controlled by one of the performers and its manipulation is an essential part of the score). The notion of stretching is also explored in purely musical ways, such as in the use of canonic techniques, glissandi and register shifts.

The work's harmonic material also derives from notions of stretching and expansion, particularly of simple diatonic modes, yielding more pungent harmonic flavors which still firmly anchor the work in a modified style of tonality. It is important that the title to keep in mind that the title came after most of the composition was conceived and it is simply an indicator of only one of the many elements that have gone into the work. I want to thank all the musicians of the Ear Unit for their perseverance during the compositional, workshop and rehearsal process as well as the Music in Motion program and the Walker Art Center and John Killacky for supporting the residency and premier of the work.