ArmandoBayolo
DystopianMoods
ArmandoBayolo
DystopianMoods
forbrassandpercussion
CommissionedbyKurtDolesandtheMidAmericanCenterforContemporaryMusicatBowlingGreenState UniversityfortheMeridianArtsEnsemble.
WrienbetweenNovember,2024andJanuary,2025inFlorissant,Missouri.
Duraon:approx.17minutes
Instrumentaon
2TrumpetsinC
FrenchHorn
Trombone
Tuba
Percussion(drumset):
ProgramNote
Dystopiashavebeenbouncingaroundtheculturalconversaonformostofthe21stcentury. Frompopularculturetopolicalandphilosophicaldiscourse,thenoonofstatesofgreatsocial sufferingorinjuscehaveobsessedhumansinthewestforsomeme.
DystopianMoodsisanaemptatdisllingtheseconcernsintomusic.Thefirstmovement,"The CircusMarchoftheDispossessed"isanabsurd,somemessurreal(Ithink)takeonakindoftoxic opmismrequestedofcharacterslivinginadystopia."...Commeuntendreettristeregret..." (whichtakesitstlefromafamousexpressivemarkerofClaudeDebussy'sinhisfirstbookof Preludes)isaboutnostalgiaandregret.Anostalgiafornostalgiaendemictothedystopian mindset."Arrhythmia"isadisturbingstudyinunsase.Theupperbrasstradeirregularrhythmson asinglenotewhilethelowerbrassslideandblastoveraquietdrumroll.Theresultisunseling andweird.Finally,"Guthrie'sMachine"isastudyinpunkandgrindcorerhythms.Itisinspiredby themetalbandNapalmDeath'scoverofTheDeadKennedy's"NaziPunksFuckOff!"andgives thetubathelead.Midwaythrough,WoddyGuthrie's"TeartheFascistsDown"makesa Coplandesqueappearancetodrivethepointhome.Itisastyliscmish-mash,tobesure,but dystopiasmakeforstrangebedfellows.
DystopianMoodswascommissionedbyKurtDolesandtheMidAmericanCenterfor ContemporaryMusicfortheir2025newmusicfesvalandtheMeridianArtsEnsemble.Itwas wrieninthewinterof2024-25inSt.Louis,Missouri.
--ArmandoBayolo February,2025 Urbana,Illinois