STRATA VII，for Euphonium and Marimba（2009）

In fact，the combination of euphonium and marimba is unlikely. I guess that a composition for such instrumentation has not been existent. Therefore I intentionally chose these two instruments. I aimed at not harmonization but confrontation of the two. In a manner of speaking，they are indifferent to each other. If one is positive，the other is negative. Sometimes they sound as if they walk on the same way but eventually
masquerade it as an accident.
I have been working on a series of Strata since I wrote Strata I for string quartet in 1988. I wrote StrataⅡ for flute solo，Ⅲ for clarinet and piano，Ⅳ for oboe and contrabass，Ⅴ for string quartet again，and Ⅵ for trombone and piano. The word strata is the plural form of stratum. I made this series based on the idea to look on the register as strata. Except for StrataⅤ，each piece takes between eight to ten minutes to perform.