Gears - Ron Miller (2011) -- approx. 11 min.
Gears contains sections which are the musical equivalent of the workings of a clock - things moving at different speeds, things moving in fits and starts, things spinning, and all of it fitting together as one mechanism. I've also attempted to depict the sound of a large bell in this piece, with it's unusual overtone series. There are sections of the piece which are still, slow, expressive, but then the mechanism starts to hum, the bells ring, and the gears take off again.
This piece was composed for the Peninsula Youth Orchestra on the occasion of their tour of London, England and environs in 2011.
3-3-3-2 - 4-3-3 - Timp -3 perc - str
Percussion includes Snare Drum, Bass Drum, Crash Cymbals, Suspended Cymbal, Triangle, Tambourine, Maracas, Wood Block, Orchestra Bells, Vibraphone (no electricity needed...) and Marimba. Three players can do this if the Timpany player can cover some other parts.