“Vow” – one by which a person is bound to an act, service, or condition.

The idea for this piece, was to take only a handful of pitches, repeated in cell like patterns on two different glockenspiels, which naturally have contrasting overtones. These sonic conflicts give the illusion of other pitches appearing as clouds of sound, resonating over the played notes. From the players standpoint, disruption of natural resonance is at the forefront and various uncommon techniques are used to manipulate the sound. Quick muffling with hand or mallet dampening, causes an almost electronic sounding effect of echo/delay, and can make the pitches bend in unexpected ways. Buzzing lighter flexible mallets on the bars, creates a granular resonance, imitating the decay of sound, and at times, again sounding as if it’s an electronically manipulated sound in reverse. It’s not until the very end of the piece when we’re left with a halo of natural resonance in a tonal echo.

-Joseph Pereira