Composers have found inspiration from many sources. In the eighteenth century, it was frequently human reasoning; in the nineteenth century, nature and human emotion; the twentieth century, the recesses of the human mind. In the twenty-first century, it seems logical and appropriate to look towards technology for inspiration.

Technology, and the machinescreated through technology, is all around us. This piece draws on sounds from telephones, pagers, radar detectors, sirens, computers, watches, engines, motors, or, in simpler terms, all those mechanical devices encountered daily. Machinations (definition: "a scheming or crafty action or artful design to accomplish some sinister end") is diabolical, for what could be more sinister than a machine-like piece in an ensemble of human artistry?

There is much music in machines. The percussion and woodwinds represent the blips and pops produced by electronic devices, the brass represent the groans and pulsations of large engines, and the strings represent the humming,whirring, and whining background of various appliances. The focus of the piece is a steady beat, and gradually grows in volume as the music progresses.

If at all possible, the orchestra should be disassembled and scattered throughout the hall, so the sounds, as in life, surround us:

• Brass up high, in the back of the balcony
• Woodwinds (two quartets) on both sides of the audience
• Percussion on-stage, in front of the strings