Damascene Redux is a reworking of a reworking. The original version of the piece for brass quartet is an arrangement of a Syrian lute improvisation by Muhammad Abdul Karim recorded in Damascus in the 1960s. This arrangement is a relatively faithful melodic transcription with added accompaniment elements such as ostinatos (short repeating patterns), pedals and drones. The additions I have made all use notes drawn from the melody itself to create ‘heterophony’, a kind of musical texture in which a melody is heard against different versions of itself (an effect similar to playing a tune on the piano whilst holding down the damper pedal).

Damascene Redux for saxophone quartet reworks my earlier arrangement by providing only an incomplete form of the melodic line, with just the opening motive of each section written down, that is passed around each member of the ensemble. When not playing this melody performers are instructed to respond to it in various ways: accompanying, counterpointing, harmonising, copying, shadowing and so on (silence can also be a response). Melodically and texturally, therefore, Damascene Redux relies heavily on improvisation, with performers contributing their responses on the spur of the moment. The intended effect is of spontaneity, unpredictability and anticipation as the performers listen for the next link in the melodic chain. As much or as little of the given material can be used, as long as the order of sections is not disrupted, and the duration of the piece is open.