Connor Gibbs - Tenparu
Connor Gibbs - Tenparu
The University of North Georgia's (UNG) 5th Annual Research on Contemporary Composition (ROCC) Conference, 30-31 October 2021, allowed young composers and scholars to present new works, papers, and research to both in-person and virtual audiences.
Connor Gibbs, a young composer currently studying at Bowling Green State University, had an incredibly well-prepared performance of his new work Tenparu (2021) for solo soprano saxophone. Tenparu is an excellent example of what the saxophone can achieve as an unaccompanied instrument. Dr. Bart Adam Walters, professor of saxophone at UNG, gave quite the convincing performance of a difficult piece, making sense of the vast array of extended techniques and awkward sounds Gibbs asks of the instrument. Calling for the already unstableness of the soprano saxophone, Gibbs really asks for a high level of technique from the performer, and Dr. Walters brought his all to this piece.
Tenparu primarily focuses around two timbral motives, with the first being a combination of speedy runs and glissandi, and the second creating interest with bisbigliando or timbral trills. At first the piece felt slightly awkward and unnerving, but Gibbs does a good job of making a point out of these two ideas. The purposeful repetition of these gestures allowed Dr. Walters to embrace the unconventional sounds and force them to be convincing to the audience.
Gibbs defines the word Tenparu as a "Japanese expression that conveys being at the edge of one's limits." The work does really make the performer and audience be on the edge for the entire duration. It is a demanding technical feat for the player, but eventually allows the seemingly random gestures to be morphed into emotions. As for the audience, it takes a while for the unmusical effects to be understood. To give him credit, Gibbs introduces the material slowly enough for it to be at least embraced by the listener, whether or not they enjoy it. Unfortunately, the very ending of the work breaks from this convincing character of the rest of the piece. Tenparu climaxes in what Gibbs describes as "a final squeal of emotion", but what I would call a screech of ruin. While it may achieve the programmatic meaning Gibbs desired, the irony is incredibly heavy-handed, and regrettably destroys the otherwise organized and cohesive musical gestures.
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