Christopher Stark | www.christopher-stark.com
Foreword | 2017
for two pianos & live electronics
duration : 12 min.
premiered : Jan. 20, 2017, Kent State University as part of the Vanguard New Music Series; Kent, OH
Composer’s Note:
I wanted to prepare the audience for the experience of Mantra by focusing on static harmonies and ambient textures in an attempt to cleanse the palette and encourage longer-durational listening strategies. The specific musical techniques explored in Foreword evolved out of experiments with technology: both as a tool for live signal processing (with an eye towards the cutting edge, like the Stockhausen) and also as a programming tool for algorithmically generating notes and rhythms (using computers, unlike the Stockhausen). The inspiration for these “mathematical” musical techniques comes as a response to nature; and in particular, the Pythagorean ratios present in the overtone series.
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