James Matheson

Spin

Composed for violinist Baird Dodge; James Matheson's Spin is a three-movement study in various meanings of the word spin. I. Gyre has the character of a whimsically spinning object in a sort of arena. II. Web is essentially a slow movement. It explores a nearly static; sinewy texture comprised of slowly undulating chords in which snippets of melody emerge from the notes held while the chords disappear. Similar to the first movement; III. Spiral explores a kinetic notion of spinning; this time in the form of rapidly rising scales.