Mainspring

About

A mainspring is a spiral torsion spring found in clockwork. Energy is stored in the spring when it is wound, providing the mechanism with a source of power. I knew that Nielsen's second symphony would be played in the same concert as the premiere of Mainspring, and I wanted to include some reference to it in my work. The symphony features a striking five-bar passage towards the end of the first movement that has always fascinated me: abrupt, snarling crescendo chords that lead into the recapitulation. This passage comes from nowhere and is gone in a flash, like a speeding train disturbing a calm pastoral scene. It unexpectedly thrusts the music back into the energy of the opening material. I took this basic crescendo idea and used it as the foundation of the ever-present power source that drives my piece.