Mark Fromm and the Mobius Saxophone Quartet will premiere his new PCMS-commissioned work this Sunday at Frick Fine Arts Auditorium. Below, Mark provides us with some insight into the inspiration for Steel, Slag, and Silicon. (Cross-posted at Pittsburgh New Music Net.)

When I received this commission for Pittsburgh’s 250th birthday, I really wanted to use the city as inspiration for piece, and for the piece to be dedicated to the city. I initially thought of using the city’s myriad bridges as a source of inspiration (especially the numbered street bridges across the Allegheny: 6th, 7th, 9th, 16th, 31st, 40th, and 62nd). But as I read more about Pittsburgh’s history, I decided to go with a program that reflects different eras over the course of the city’s development.

The first movement, Steel, represents the rise of the steel industry vital to the city’s early prosperity. With the decline of the steel and manufacturing industries across Northeastern and Midwestern cities, Pittsburgh ended up in the heart of the “rust belt,” characterized by declining populations and loss of blue-collar jobs. The second movement represents this period of downturn; Slag is a by-product of steel consisting of the unwanted impurities. (Slag has actually played an important role in the shaping of Pittsburgh’s landscape; many ravines have been filled in and leveled off with it, and areas such as the Century III Mall and the Summerset neighborhood by Frick Park are built atop slag heaps, as slag makes a sturdy building foundation.) The third movement, Silicon, represents Pittsburgh’s revitalization and turn towards electronics, computers, and robotics as major contributors to the local economy; Pittsburgh now attracts people from all over the world with its reputation for leading technological advancements.

Fromm and the Mobius Quartet perform on Sunday, April 5 at 3 p.m. in Frick Fine Arts Auditorium. Tickets are available through ProArts and at the door.