Nemesis

[摘要] In astronomy, the Nemesis Hypothesis postulates that our sun may have a yet undetected companion star called ;;Nemesis;;. When the Nemesis star's orbit brings it closer to our solar system, its gravity disturbs the Oort cloud, a mass of comets one light-year from the sun. As a result of these disturbances, a high number of comets are driven through the inner solar system, with a resulting increase in impact events on earth. K-T, the massive dinosaur extinction of the Cretaceous-Tertiary period, is an example of such an event. My work for chamber orchestra is divided into three sections: the ;;Nemesis;; music is grounded and solid; the ;;Oort cloud;; music is more vaporous and mysterious; and the ;;K-T;; impact music is rhythmic and forceful. Musical motives, drawn from a nine-tone source scale, help to link the three sections, creating a musical analogue for this intriguing cosmic phenomenon.

[发布机构] Rice University

[效力级别] Communication