The Fool's Journey, 1st movement - "The Magician"

Presenter and Advisor Information

Ethan K. Schuller, Illinois Wesleyan UniversityFollow

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Submission Type

Pre-recorded Musical Performance

Area of Study or Work

Music, Music Composition

Faculty Advisor

Jiyoun Chung

Expected Graduation Date

2021

Start Date

4-10-2021 8:00 AM

End Date

4-11-2021 5:00 PM

Abstract

This performance is one of three movements of the violin sonata I wrote this year, The Fool's Journey. The title of this work is also an alternate name for the tarot, and refers to a metaphor for a journey through life. To compose this piece, I drew three cards at random from the major arcana of a deck of tarot cards, and wrote a movement centered around each card that I drew. In this piece, rather than play each movement in a specified order, the performer determines the order randomly before each performance, either by drawing cards or another method.

While composing this piece, the Magician was the first card I drew. In tarot, the Magician represents talent, skill, and the potential to complete a goal or task, especially when the outcome is to transform something. Like the card, this movement is all about transformation. At its beginning, it starts out as a fairly typical waltz, but as the movement progresses, irregularities are introduced in the form of meter changes, key changes, and moments of silence until the original waltz form is transformed into something totally different.

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Apr 10th, 8:00 AM Apr 11th, 5:00 PM

The Fool's Journey, 1st movement - "The Magician"

This performance is one of three movements of the violin sonata I wrote this year, The Fool's Journey. The title of this work is also an alternate name for the tarot, and refers to a metaphor for a journey through life. To compose this piece, I drew three cards at random from the major arcana of a deck of tarot cards, and wrote a movement centered around each card that I drew. In this piece, rather than play each movement in a specified order, the performer determines the order randomly before each performance, either by drawing cards or another method.

While composing this piece, the Magician was the first card I drew. In tarot, the Magician represents talent, skill, and the potential to complete a goal or task, especially when the outcome is to transform something. Like the card, this movement is all about transformation. At its beginning, it starts out as a fairly typical waltz, but as the movement progresses, irregularities are introduced in the form of meter changes, key changes, and moments of silence until the original waltz form is transformed into something totally different.