Instrumentation: Electric violin; 1 or 2 synthesizers, electric bass, timpani, 4 percussion (I=finger cymbals/triangle/referee whistle/crotales/xylophone/glockenspiel; II=triangle/referee whistle/vibraphone; III=large tam tam/triangle/referee whistle/small tambourine/large cowbell/marimba; IV=ratchet/whip/bongos/tambourine/woodblocks/3 cowbells/finger cymbals/triangle/referee whistle/hi-hat/crotales/glockenspiel)
Publisher: Boosey and Hawkes, Hendon Music (BMI)
Duration: 12 minutes
Program Note:
Lex (1991-1993) derives its title from one of Superman’s most vexing foes, the supervillain and business tycoon Lex Luthor. Marked “Diabolical” in the score, this movement features a virtuoso violin soloist (Lex) who plays a fiendishly difficult fast triplet motive in perpetual motion, pursued by the orchestration and a percussion section that includes four referee whistles placed quadraphonically on stage.
–Michael Daugherty