whirligig (2013)
(h)wərlē gig noun
a toy that spins around, for example, a top or a pinwheel. Another term for merry-go-round.
a thing regarded as hectic or constantly changing : the whirligig of time.
a small black predatory beetle that swims rapidly in circles on the surface of still or slow-moving water and dives when alarmed.
I only like to play four hands piano with people I really like. This genre, with two players at one keyboard, should make you laugh and curse, and delight in invading each other’s space. (Otherwise, what’s the point? You might as well be playing on two separate instruments!) Nico Muhly and I wanted a four-hands piece to play together and rather than find an existing work, he dared me to write something. That dare was an inspiration. whirligig is all about getting up in each other’s business and relishing it.
The first movement, off-kilter, is my tribute to Nico and his spunky, vibrant and amazingly animated personality. merry-go-round is both silly wordplay and an homage to one of my favorite people. The third movement is an odd-metered boogie-woogie that was stuck in my head the whole time I was writing whirligig and I thought it would be great fun to play.
To purchase, contact Lisa at kappy1974@gmail.com.