String Fifths

Many years ago, one of my music teachers often would introduce a concert by saying, “We will begin tonight’s performance with a long-forgotten piece by an unknown composer. It is known as Tu Ning.”

The orchestra would then begin tuning. The audience would chuckle.

Nearly two decades later—this memory having resurfaced—I decided to compose a piece based on the open strings used when tuning the viola and similar instruments.

Perhaps, more accurately, I decided to improvise a piece:

Backstage: More about this piece