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Solo
2022
Double Bass
- Program Notes
- Acoustic beating results when two pitches of slightly different frequencies are presented simultaneously, creating an interference paern that is perceived as a periodic variation in volume whose rate is the difference between the two frequencies. This piece uses detuning of the double bass' first and third strings to create two orderings of two-note harmonies - one on the lower two strings (which are tuned very closely), and one on the upper two strings (which are also tuned closely, but not quite as closely as the lower two strings). These ordered sequences are then superimposed into a layered structure that exhibits various frequencies of acoustic beating from one gesture to the next. Such internal tremors fade in and out of focus constantly as various playing techniques are used to either obscure or enhance their prominence, and the subtlety of difference between successive beats varies significantly throughout the piece. The detuning of strings presents an additional dichotomy of resonance quality, and contributes to the self-similar nature of the musical material despite a complete avoidance of repetition. Over the course of the piece's extended duration, these sonic instabilities are used to meditate upon the evolving relationship between sound and silence as individual gestures punctuated by long silences gradually mutate into extended phrases.
- Recording Notes
- Recording of a performance in Firth Hall, Sheffield, UK in March 2023
- Record Label
- NA
- Performer Credits
- James Banner
- Publisher
- NA
- External Links