7 / 5 = 1.4

7 / 5 = 1.4 is named after the average number of reeds in a reed quintet (1 reed each from the clarinet, saxophone, and bass clarinet, and 2 double reeds from the oboe and bassoon, totaling 7 reeds. divided across 5 instruments, each instrument has an average of 1.4 reeds).

this two-movement piece uses the numbers of 7514 (and variations upon it) as musical material for pitch, chords and time signatures. the first movement, decrease, is a minimal soundscape using just 4 notes (B, G, C, F), which gets more energetic as the time intervals between musical events and the intervals between the notes decrease over time. The second movement, increase, retains the energy of the first movement, keeping a lively and rhythmic character over changing time signatures. Following a simple structure, the length of the music’s phrases and time signatures increase over time, along with the music’s harmonic and rhythmic complexity.