Instrumentation: 2(2nd dbl. Picc).2(2nd dbl. E.H.).2(2nd dbl. B.Cl.).2/4.2.0.0/Timp./1 Perc./Strings

Duration: circa 12 minutes

Copyrights: work registered with BMI

Premiered by Orquestra do Algarve, conducted by José Rodilla, Feb. 1, 2008 (Sagres, Portugal)

The Fact of the Matter as a Matter of Fact, a work written between July and December of 2007, has as point of departure the use of the harmonic series - properties common to physical and biological systems (ex., the human voice, strings of a violin, etc) - as source for both melodic and harmonic materials.

In the first movement, the woodwinds have a predominant role imposing their waving melodic gestures over the pizzicatos of the lower strings. The flow of events as presented since the beginning is, at a given moment, gradually replaced by a texture of high polyphonic density, as a sound metaphor to a temporary opening of a window with view to a very contrasting musical reality. Just as this other sound reality emerged from the original waving gestures, so it will disappear, closing that imaginary window, and so returning the listener to materials presented earlier in the movement.

The second movement begins under a calm but tense mood, a little like the calm felt before a storm. The flute and viola share the idea of a melodic line (a simple gesture downward, interweaved between the two instruments). The background texture that supports the lines of the flute and viola is initially stable until a tense cello line pulls the entire orchestra into several explosions of colorful sounds. The next section is a calm, warm chorale, returning the melodic material to the woodwinds, supported by long notes in the strings. The chorale is then followed by a new orchestral explosion, this time, dropping the listener into the opening material of the movement.

To conclude, the third movement is a dance for the whole orchestra of great rhythmic vitality, and playful character.

This piece is dedicated to Maestro Cesário Costa.