In his letter to Filippo Filippi, Gioachino Rossini once wrote, “melodia semplice e varietà nel ritmo,” which translates to, “simple melody and variety in rhythm.” This was Rossini’s philosophy and approach to writing music, emphasizing melodies that could be remembered and recognized by mass audiences, combined with varying, and sometimes unpredictable use of rhythm.

Beginning in the 20th century we have seen an increase (and sometimes decrease) in complexity in contemporary music compositions as results of experimentation and exploration into the avant-garde, challenging not only music as an artform, but also the expectations and understanding of audiences, performers, and fellow composers.

With this piece, I wanted to display the conflict between these two ideologies. Simple Melody and Variety in Rhythm begins with an elongated section of wind sounds and drones that begin to bend in pitch, inspired by the works of György Ligeti and Giacinto Scelsi. As these long drones continue, the recognizable melodies of Gioachino Rossini begin to emerge from the contemporary soundscape. The remainder of the piece is a back-and-forth clash of these concepts, emphasizing much of the playfulness and humor encapsulated in the music of Rossini.