WRITTEN FOR THE #45MINIATURES PROJECT
BY NICHOLAS PHILLIPS

INSTRUMENTATION - solo piano
DURATION - ca. 6.5 minutes
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The term "bread and circuses" originated in Rome and was coined by the satirical poet Juvenal in the early second century AD. It was initially a term related to common cultural practices, but it soon became defined for its political context. This figure of speech refers to generating the approval of the public masses by fulfilling their most immediate desires, such as food or entertainment of some kind, as opposed to providing what the public actually needs to thrive as a society.
This provided the basis for this piano solo, a raucous and extremely percussive spectacle of sound and chaos. Cluttered and unfocused, the toxic and vomit-like nature of this work desperately screams for attention much of the time, as if angrily ranting in one corner and joyously boasting about their greatness in the next. This sense of extreme duality even ranges in moments that seems like other familiar music is quoted, only to be mocked at every turn instead.