David Sawer
the greatest happiness principle
Short instrumentation: 3 2 3 2 - 4 3 4 1 - timp, perc(3), hp, str(12 10 8 8 6)
Duration: 12'
Dedication: to Mark
Instrumentation details:
3(2&3/picc, 3/alto)·2(2/eng hn)·3(2/Eb, 3/bcl)·2(2/cbn) - 4·3·4·1 - perc(3) - hp - strings (12 10 8 8 6)
Sawer - the greatest happiness principle for orchestra
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David Sawer
Sawer: The Greatest Happiness PrincipleOrchestration: für Orchester
Type: Partitur (Sonderanfertigung)
David Sawer
Sawer: The Greatest Happiness Principle for orchestraOrchestration: for orchestra
Type: Studienpartitur
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Work introduction
This piece was inspired by the utopian ideas of the English philosopher Jeremy Bentham, and especially by his application of the panoptic principle to prison design.
This design allowed an observer to observe all the prisoners without the prisoners themselves being able to tell whether they were being watched. The intention was to create a transparent system of self-regulation through constant surveillance.
I wanted the character of the piece to salute this governing idea, however halfway through its composition I recognised my own entrapment. Right at the end of the work the conductor relinquishes control and the orchestra enjoys a moment of abandonment.
David Sawer