Inspired by Claude Debussy’s prelude The Sunken Cathedral (La cathédrale engloutie), La miniature engloutie 2 is the dual vibraphone version of La miniature engloutie. During the pandemic, I started composing for the vibraphone. Part of my initial inspiration was the concept of the performer-composer. While thinking about some of the composers that inspired me, Debussy’s Preludes, specifically The Sunken Cathedral came to mind. With that inspiration, I started to work on the solo version. Parts of the form, relationship of keys, chord structure, and counterpoint influenced my composition. While the solo version was still being composed, I started to have an alternate version in mind. I wanted a second version that offered a more submersed (or immersed) sound and expanded on the tonalities that I was hearing. I had been working on my bow technique, and the sound of bowed vibraphone seemed to match the character I was looking for. I identified bowing techniques that expanded the sound world of the solo version and helped realize my idealized concept. I then created an excerpt of duo version, and from there the remainder was realized.
