WRITTEN FOR THE #45MINIATURES PROJECT BY NICHOLAS PHILLIPS
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INSTRUMENTATION - solo piano
DURATION - ca. 6-8 minutes RECORDING - Josh Trentadue, piano 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 its greatness in the next. This sense of extreme, volatile anger even persists in moments that appear on the surface to be calm and serene. Instead, further tantrums ensue, only to be met with incessant mocking at every turn. |