Remaining Vestiges (2015)
Duration: ca. 12'00"
Commissioned by and dedicated to Jarrod Williams
 
Perusal score: https://issuu.com/tylerklinemusic/docs/kline_remainingvestiges
 
Instrumentation
tuba
piano
 
Program Notes
As a composer, I feel that it’s my duty to constantly be looking forward; trying new things, exploring
new sounds, and generally redefining what music means to me. This shift in my thinking occurred
during my time in graduate school, and it still dominates the way I approach composing today.
However, there are times that projects necessitate looking back on what my work used to be like:
Remaining Vestiges is one such project, and that action of “looking back” is where the title of this
piece comes from.

This work is presented in two movements. The first movement, trace, begins with chant-like music
passing between the tuba and piano, and passes through meditative musical scenes meant to evoke
thoughts of nature and nostalgia. The second, maker, contrasts the first movement with aggressive,
scherzo-like music.

In many ways, this piece is a personal reflection on the changes that took place in my personal and
creative life in graduate school. And while this piece is a return to an older style for me, it isn’t simply
looking back: it is a combination of new ideas, a more refined approach, and the spirit of music I
wrote early on in my composing life.