Frozen tension

'Frozen Tension' is a single-movement work consisting of four sections, written for two trumpets, one horn, one trombone, and one tuba. The inspiration for this piece comes from architect Zaha Hadid’s 'Vitra Fire Station,' located at the Vitra Furniture Factory in Weil am Rhein, Germany. I find this building full of tension—It does not have the heaviness or the profound stillness found in some other structures. Instead, it conveys a sense of dynamism and sharp angularity. Notably, its slanted roof inclines upward, evoking a defiance of gravity, which I find both powerful and aggressive. The first section (mm. 1–34) focuses on the pitch D. As the music develops, this material expands to an augmented second (D ♭–E). I use thin textural layers in this section to convey the building’s sense of lightness and airiness. The second section (mm. 35–54) begins with minor and major seconds in two voices, which gradually expand into complex multi-register chords across all five instruments. This reflects the building’s intricate geometric structure—its multilayered and interwoven spatial design. The third section (mm. 55–90) extends from D above middle C into the extreme high register, with the texture becoming thinner as the range ascends, increasing the tension. This represents the upper, lightweight slanted walls of the building, resisting gravity as they rise. The fourth section (mm. 91–151) contrasts with the previous ones by incorporating wide leaps across registers and shorter note values compared to the sustained tones before. Here, I aim to capture the building’s dynamic movement and emphasize horizontal register shifts.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.M. (Master of Music)

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Music Composition (UMKC)

Grantor

University of Missouri--Kansas City

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Guo, Xinzhi

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Chen, Yi, 1953-

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/10355/108726

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:mospace.umsystem.edu:10355/108726