For solo percussionist and wind ensemble
Commissioned by the Oregon State University Wind Ensemble
Duration: 17 minutes
NOTES
The Five Changes (Wu Hsing or Wu Xing) are the five material elements of the traditional Chinese Daoist world, and the transformations that turn each into the other through natural processes over time. Traditionally Metal comes first, which produces water which produces wood. Wood creates fire which finally produces earth. Earth once again produces metal and the cycle continues.
In the structure of this piece, water forms the first, self-contained section. In the next section wood emerges and leads in an enormous crescendo to fire. The third section is a slow movement of drums representing earth which leads into the fourth section highlighting metal. This forms the climax and the coming together of all previous themes and motives, before receding into a short recapitulation of the water section.
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