Having read a couple of paragraphs of the 33-pages-long programme notes (yes, really!) I gathered that the work was based on pythagorean tuning, a more in-depth explanation of which can be found here. Basically, the principle uses ratios to determine pitch intervals in a form of just intonation, as opposed to the equal temperament more commonly used in western music, the idea being the the more 'natural' tuning assists in highlighting the partials that are apparent when these notes are played together in an acoustic space. This particular work uses the ratios of 18/17/16/12 to create a 'Dream' quadrad, as described by Young. The work is improvisatory in nature although there are certain rules and guidelines that must be adhered to, such as the order in which pitches should be introduced and the length of sounds.
This, however, does absolutely nothing to describe what the experience of listening to the piece is actually like. Knowing that what I was listening for were the resonant partials of the notes being played, I concentrated on exactly that, but as it turns out I probably needn't have. The first note appeared out of silence, in this case from one of the 8 muted trumpets arranged in a semi-circle in front of the crowd. This single note was joined by overlapping notes on the same exact tone (the tuning was immaculate), creating a constant drone continuing on this single note for about 15-20 minutes. The more I listened to this very simple, very quiet sound, the more the resonant partials revealed themselves - first the second harmonic (an octave above) and then the 4th (two octaves above). Before long the partials seemed to weave in and out of one another, almost like an arpeggiated motif, so much so that I was quite disappointed when the sound stopped! But after a silence of 5 minutes or so, it began again, slowly introducing the second tone of the quadrad, setting off another scheme of harmonic partials which were gradually revealed, my ears weaving them in and out of each other.
As the further two notes were revealed slowly in this same manner, I found I could almost create music out of the partials with my own ears, guiding them around the available frequencies. I could listen for the particular partials I wanted to hear, but I could also let my ears guide themselves around the symphony of tones available to them. I'm sure I heard tones I had never heard before as my listening climbed the harmonic series, the notes getting closer and closer until they were almost indistinguishable from each other. I had certainly never experienced anything like this before, or certainly not anything at this duration where I was at liberty to explore the experience for nearly an hour and a half. Yet despite the duration and 'stillness' of the event, it was not what I would call relaxing. I was most definitely occupied and 'awake' throughout - it could have continued for an hour and a half more and I would still have been occupied!
The experience has raised a few questions in my mind: I wonder, if I had not been listening or expecting to hear resonant partials would I have heard them, or would I have been very bored listening to four notes for an hour and a half? If the experience was purely something I heard, listened for and created for myself, would the person next to me have had a completely different experience? I had several PhD students sat next to me, some of whom compose using microtones and partials, I wonder if their experience was richer than my own; a bit of background research here tells me that it does take some practice to hear resonant partials at all. I wonder how different it would have sounded if the notes were different, or the spacing between the notes of the quadrad was different? What about if there more more notes added, would the number of partials be more or would the sound become too crowded? Would it have the same effect if the notes were tuned in equal temperament as opposed to just intonation?
In my post about Alivin Lucier I discuss the concept of the physics of sound, and the music my ears make becoming the music I experience. It strikes me that it would take a lot of experience in this area of listening and exploring the relationships between sounds and specific tones to create this music. Is it simply trial and error, or experimentation? I wonder if this is something I could create myself?
As the further two notes were revealed slowly in this same manner, I found I could almost create music out of the partials with my own ears, guiding them around the available frequencies. I could listen for the particular partials I wanted to hear, but I could also let my ears guide themselves around the symphony of tones available to them. I'm sure I heard tones I had never heard before as my listening climbed the harmonic series, the notes getting closer and closer until they were almost indistinguishable from each other. I had certainly never experienced anything like this before, or certainly not anything at this duration where I was at liberty to explore the experience for nearly an hour and a half. Yet despite the duration and 'stillness' of the event, it was not what I would call relaxing. I was most definitely occupied and 'awake' throughout - it could have continued for an hour and a half more and I would still have been occupied!
The experience has raised a few questions in my mind: I wonder, if I had not been listening or expecting to hear resonant partials would I have heard them, or would I have been very bored listening to four notes for an hour and a half? If the experience was purely something I heard, listened for and created for myself, would the person next to me have had a completely different experience? I had several PhD students sat next to me, some of whom compose using microtones and partials, I wonder if their experience was richer than my own; a bit of background research here tells me that it does take some practice to hear resonant partials at all. I wonder how different it would have sounded if the notes were different, or the spacing between the notes of the quadrad was different? What about if there more more notes added, would the number of partials be more or would the sound become too crowded? Would it have the same effect if the notes were tuned in equal temperament as opposed to just intonation?
In my post about Alivin Lucier I discuss the concept of the physics of sound, and the music my ears make becoming the music I experience. It strikes me that it would take a lot of experience in this area of listening and exploring the relationships between sounds and specific tones to create this music. Is it simply trial and error, or experimentation? I wonder if this is something I could create myself?
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