Facade

Facade is about the dialogue between two different kinds of music. The first, which opens the piece, is stiff and self-conscious. The left-hand plays a repetitive and mechanical rhythmic ostinato while the right hand interjects with short, clipped phrases. The second is more honest and brooding and is characterized by dark, resonant chords in the low end of the piano. As the piece unfolds, these two musics push and pull for space. Facade is analogous to the way that we often interact with other people, particularly in times of frustration. The words we say and the way we present ourselves are often different from and sometimes belie the way we feel internally. Almost all of us strike a balance between our internal and external selves. Just as these facets of ourselves fight for air, so do the two types of musics in this piece.