Toil is a minimalist composition comprised of a single idea and a single rhythm. The single idea is transposed by a minor 3rd four times to create a {1,2} octatonic scale. Each of these transpositions represent a register of this scale. Then the base rhythm is doubled in duration to get a new rhythm 3 times to create a total of 4 rhythms that is then divided throughout the four voices. The registers and voices are then permutated to create all possible combinations of the rhythms and voices. Each of these permutations are distributed to a measure in the piece. All of this was accomplished through Java code.
Toil is meant to evoke emotions of unease and monotony. It only varies a little between each measure and the harmony is continuous thanks to the octatonic scale employed. It never resolves. It just ends. Much like how we toil day by day to never reach a resolution until one day we end.
Olivia's Blog 