Lies You Can Believe In (2006)

Composer note
Lies You Can Believe In, for string trio, was commissioned by Milwaukee-based ensemble Present Music. The "lies" in the title are not untruths, and instead refer to the old-fashioned word for an improvised and embellished story. This type of lie is not malicious; the process of invention and the telling of the tale are ultimately more important than the truth behind the account. In this piece I created my own "lie," an invented and embellished urban folk music. The strings tell an improvisatory tale, touching upon the violence, energy, mania and rare moments of calm one finds in a city. This piece is inspired as much by modern gypsy music, punk, and electronica as it is by traditional Bulgarian and Romanian folk music. Many thanks to Present Music for engendering and inspiring this piece.

— Missy Mazzoli