Tesserae. (Original composition);

Abstract

Tesserae is a musical composition for large orchestra consisting of winds in threes, four horns, three trumpets, three trombones, tuba, timpani, three percussionists, harp, piano, and strings. The title comes from a Greek word meaning pieces of mosaic tile. The form of the work is both a mosaic of ideas, and an organic form, which is basically ternary. The title also means the number four (plural form) in Greek. This other meaning also relates to the form, since there are four main mosaic ideas, one idiomatic to each section of the orchestra: winds, brass, percussion and strings.