Mothership is a single-movement composition fororchestra and electronica by the American composerMason Bates. The piece received its world premiere March 20, 2011 at theSydney Opera House by theYouTube Symphony Orchestra underMichael Tilson Thomas, with featured improvisatorial soloists Paulo Calligopoulos onelectric guitar, Ali Bello onviolin, Su Chang onzheng, and John Burgess onbass guitar.[1][2][3] The premiere was broadcast live onYouTube and garnered nearly two million viewers.[1][4]
Bates discussed the composition in the score program notes, writing, "This energetic opener imagines the orchestra as a mothership that is ‘docked’ by several visiting soloists, who offer brief but virtuosic riffs on the work's thematic material over action-packed electro-acoustic orchestral figuration." He continued:
The piece follows the form of a scherzo with double trio (as found in, for example, theSchumannSymphony No. 2). Symphonic scherzos historically play with dance rhythms in a high-energy and appealing manner, with the ‘trio’ sections temporarily exploring new rhythmic areas.Mothership shares a formal connection with the symphonic scherzo but is brought to life by thrilling sounds of the 21st Century — the rhythms of modern-day techno in place of waltz rhythms, for example.[1]
The original orchestral arrangement ofMothership is scored for threeflutes (3rd doublingpiccolo),E-flat clarinet, twoclarinets (both doublingbass clarinet), threeoboes (3rd doublingEnglish horn), twobassoons,contrabassoon, fourFrench horns, threetrumpets, twotrombones,bass trombone,tuba, three percussionists, laptop,timpani,harp,piano, andstrings.[1]
A subsequentwind ensemble arrangement of the piece by Bates is scored for four flutes (1st and 2nd doubling piccolo), two oboes (2nd doubling English horn), two bassoons, contrabassoon, E-flat clarinet, four clarinets, two bass clarinets,soprano saxophone,alto saxophone,tenor saxophone,baritone saxophone, four C trumpets, four French horns, two trombones, bass trombone,euphonium, tuba, harp, piano, four percussionists, launch pad, timpani, anddouble bass.[1]
Andrew Druckenbrod of thePittsburgh Post-Gazette conceded that the piece is likely not Bates's best work, but that "it showcases the orchestra's ability to be inclusive." Druckenbrod added, "Mothership is fun, and there is nothing wrong with that!"[5]
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