Hishtapchus Hanefesh (2006)

Program notes:

Hishtapchus Hanefesh means "outpouring of the soul" in European-inflected Hebrew. I usually avoid titles that describe the intended effect of the music, but this title was pretty insistent on being the title for this piece, so I let it be. The piece forms an arch beginning quietly and relatively low in register. The piece then progressively intensifies and rises to a climax from which it descends in a free mirror-image of the rise. The solo cello's opening three-note motive permeates the piece, while the harmonized reply of the four accompanying cellos hints at the overall harmonic trajectory of the piece.