Tekahtoa
For contrabass flute and electronics 2010
Diana Salazar
Tekahtoa is a work informed the unique sonic qualities of the contrabass flute, including the robust resonance of its articulation and key movement, and the idea of tectonics, the large-scale movements of the earth’s crust (derived from the Greek tektonikós, denoting construction). The title Tekahtoa is an onomatopoeic play on the word tectonic, with references to the most common articulations on the flute, t and k, as well as the manipulations of air streams that are composed into the work.
The work explores interplay between the contrabass flute and the fixed electronic part in order to create a dynamic and shifting soundworld informed by the nature of tectonic movement. The flute and electronics generate tension and flux by colliding with each other, breaking apart, grinding, and invoking chain reactions. On the flute, strong articulations and extended techniques including shaped streams of air are employed to emphasise the physicality of these constructions, and to highlight the impressive physical presence of the contrabass flute.
Tekahtoa was commissioned by Creative Scotland.
