An Account of a Black Hole

An Account of a Black Hole follows the lifecycle of a black hole. The first movement introduces a star that is soon to meet its end. Outwardly perceived to be peacefully suspended in space, the image of the star is illustrated by melodic material referencing the classic Twinkle Twinkle Little Star melody (Mozart's 12 Variations on "Ah, vous dirai-je, maman," based on a French folk song). However, deep within the star's iron core, trouble brews; it grows more and more dense until gravity can no longer withstand the core's pull and the star suddenly implodes in a split-second, violently beautiful supernova. The star has died, and a black hole has been born.

Melding seamlessly into one another, the second and third movements portray the black hole itself, as it lives and eventually dies. The second movement paints an image of the black hole's ubiquitous presence in space during its existence. Loud outbursts contrast the normally aleatoric soundscape, representing instances in which the black hole consumes particles of matter that stray too close to its legitimately irresistible domain. The third movement begins when the piano settles into a creeping ostinato of simultaneous ascending and descending fourths. Hawking Radiation takes place; the black hole gradually loses energy as its particles fade away.