| Composition Year | 2005 |
|---|---|
| Genre Categories | Pieces; For piano; Scores featuring the piano; For 1 player |
| Work Title | Fragments |
|---|---|
| Alternative. Title | |
| Composer | Nobles, Jordan |
| I-Catalogue NumberI-Cat. No. | IJN 7 |
| Year/Date of CompositionY/D of Comp. | 2005 |
| First Performance. | 2005 in Milwaukee, Lorna Krier |
| First Publication. | 2005 |
| Average DurationAvg. Duration | 8 minutes |
| Composer Time PeriodComp. Period | Modern |
| Piece Style | Modern |
| Instrumentation | piano |
Fragments is a number of separate short piano pieces or ‘variations without a theme’. All of the 1-2 minute fragments are based on the same 60 note row. Each variation is named after an asteroid; a fragment of a planet. As these fragments can be performed in any number and in any order each performance is unique.
The first performance of Fragments was in Milwaukee in October 2005 by pianist Lorna Krier.
Duration A performance of Fragments can involve any number of variations from just one to all of them, they can even be repeated if desired. Therefore the duration of the piece is greatly variable, from 1 minute to an indefinite length. Ideally a performance should be about 5-8 minutes long.
Performance Notes The pianist can decide ahead of time, by whatever means, which variations to play. They could also be chosen in the moment if one was so inclined.
In most variations the pianist has the freedom to improvise or alter certain musical elements such as rhythm or timing (Agamemnon, Sagan, Hubble, Nietzsche), dynamics (Nietzsche, Mandelbrot), number of repeats (Whiterabbit), etc.
Also, in almost all of the variations the sustain pedal should be pressed throughout the piece. The sustain pedal should also be down in between variations, leaving the notes from the previous variation ringing during the beginning of the new one.
