Julia Perry's ''Homunculus C.F.'', scored for
harp
The harp is a stringed musical instrument that has a number of individual strings running at an angle to its soundboard; the strings are plucked with the fingers. Harps can be made and played in various ways, standing or sitting, and in orche ...
,
celesta
The celesta or celeste , also called a bell-piano, is a struck idiophone operated by a keyboard. It looks similar to an upright piano (four- or five-octave), albeit with smaller keys and a much smaller cabinet, or a large wooden music box ( ...
/piano, and eight additional
percussionists, was composed during the summer of 1960 in
Akron, Ohio, and completed in 1961. It was during this time that Perry was living in an apartment above her father's medical office. In Perry's record liner notes, she stated, "Having selected percussion instruments for my
formulae, then maneuvering and distilling them by means of the 'Chord of the Fifteenth' (C.F.), this musical test tube baby was brought to life."
Instrumentation
The piece is scored for four
timpani, a small and large
suspended cymbal, two medium cymbals, snare drum, bass drum, small and large wood blocks,
xylophone, celesta/piano,
vibraphone, and harp.
[''Homunculus C.F.'', musical score]
Significance
This particular piece was a watershed work for Perry as she focused her attention toward more experimental music. Perry described the piece as "
pantonal".
[Ammer, p. 179]
History
According to Perry's notes on the piece, the "clinical surroundings" of her living quarters above her father's medical office reminded her of the scene in
part 2 Part Two, Part 2 or Part II may refer to:
Films and television
* "Part 2" (Twin Peaks), also known as "The Return, Part 2", the second episode of the third season of the TV series ''Twin Peaks''
Music
* ''Part Two'' (Throbbing Gristle album), 200 ...
of
Goethe's ''Faust'' in which Wagner, Faust's apprentice, brings life to
Homunculus (Latin for "little man") through alchemy. As in the process of alchemy, Perry's style of composition displays an "unfolding" of material.
[Floyd, pp. 920–921]
Structure
The piece is composed in four sections around Perry's theme of the "Chord of the Fifteenth", which alternates the use of
major
Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...
and
minor thirds beginning on E4, above
middle C
C or Do is the first note and semitone of the C major scale, the third note of the A minor scale (the relative minor of C major), and the fourth note (G, A, B, C) of the Guidonian hand, commonly pitched around 261.63 Hz. The actual frequen ...
.
The A section (mm. 1–40) is rhythmic in nature, using only unpitched percussion, then leading to a transition (mm. 41–60) that adds three pitches (D-sharp, G-sharp, and F-sharp) through the timpani; the B section is
melodic in nature, using duets between the timpani, harp, and celesta/piano (mm. 61–94). Harmony is the theme for the C section (mm. 95–105), featuring an increasingly dense texture while presenting the first four pitches in the chord only; and the fourth and final section combines each element of harmony, melody, and rhythm in a
recapitulation, while introducing the remaining pitches of the chord upon which the work is based (A-sharp, C-sharp, and E-sharp).
[Floyd, p. 921] The final phrase (mm. 171–180) builds to the climax that includes all ten performers and all eight pitches in m. 177,
[Denby Green, p. 334] signifying the "creation" of Homunculus.
Perry's "Chord of the Fifteenth" is a structural chord built on E and consists of a major third, a perfect fifth, a major seventh (with a minor seventh appearing frequently in one section), a major ninth, an augmented eleventh, a major thirteenth, and an augmented fifteenth.
Recordings and performances
''Homunculus C.F.'' was recorded by the Manhattan Percussion Ensemble (1960), conducted by Paul Price.
Norman Bergen performed the celesta part on the original recording with the Manhattan Percussion Ensemble, dated January 28, 1965 at
Steinway Hall. Bergen stated in a 2014 interview that Perry did attend the recording session. He remembered her as, "a tall, thin woman with short hair; very nice! She made me feel comfortable and knew how to speak to young musicians so we would not be intimidated."
''Homunculus C.F.'' was recorded by the Manhattan Percussion Ensemble on January 28, 1965, at
Steinway Hall,
57th Street, conducted by Paul Price.
References
Notes
Sources
* Ammer, Christine. ''Unsung: A History of Women in American Music.'' Amadeus Press. Hong Kong: 2001.
* Briscoe, James. R. ''Historical Anthology of Music by Women.'' Indiana University Press. Bloomington:1987.
* Denby Green, Mildred. ''Julia Amanda Perry''. ''Historical Anthology of Music by Women.'' ed. James Briscoe. Indiana University Press. Bloomington: 1987.
* Floyd, Jr., Samuel. ''International Dictionary of Black Composers'', vol. 2. Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers. 1999.
* Hayes, Eileen M. and Linda F. Williams. ''Black Women and Music: More Than the Blues.'' University of Illinois: 2007.
* Pendle, Karin. ''Women & Music: A History.'' 2nd edition. Indiana University Press. Bloomington: 2001.
* Perry, Julia. ''Homunculus C.F.'' for percussion and harp. Southern Music Publishing Co. 1966.
* Walker-Hill, Helen. ''From Spirituals to Symphonies: African-American Women Composers and Their Music''. Greenwood Press. Westport, Connecticut: 2002.
External links
*{{YouTube, dK2TNTu3HB4, ''Homunculus C.F.''
Julia Amanda Perry on New Historical Anthology of Music by Women, Volume 1,edited by James R. Briscoe
1961 compositions
Percussion music
20th-century classical music