Animal Magnetism is a series of instrumental duets that explores the basic building blocks of Iannis Xenakis’s Charisma for clarinet and cello: oppositional timbres and dynamic envelopes. While Xenakis’s composition, which was very influential on my development as a composer, carefully juxtaposes and merges these disparate materials, this work approaches that task is a more variable manner. Transparencies, a nod of course to Cage, are employed that put each performer on an independent trajectory through different combinations of sounds and dynamic shapes, resulting in unpredictable intermixtures of these elements.

The first seven pieces in the series are for specific string/wind duos, while the eighth work is for any other combination of two instruments. Other related compositions include Allure (standard chamber ensembles), Captivation (mixed chamber ensembles), and Gravity (orchestra or other large instrumental ensemble).

The video recording below features Du.0 (Charlotte Munn-Wood & Aimee Niemann).

Download Animal Magnetism for clarinet and cello PDF score

Download Animal Magnetism (II) for saxophone and double bass PDF score

Download Animal Magnetism (III) for trombone and violin PDF score

Download Animal Magnetism (IV) for flute and cello PDF score

Download Animal Magnetism (V) for clarinet and viola PDF score

Download Animal Magnetism (VI) for violin and horn PDF score

Download Animal Magnetism (VII) for trombone and double bass PDF score

Download Animal Magnetism (VIII) for instrumental duo PDF score