Electronic Recital
Polymetric Ostinatos
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Recorded February 2, 1990 on VHS tape. Audio and Video stunningly salvaged by Dylan Gray.
Performed by D'Arcy Gray.
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Polymetric Ostinatos is based on the mathematical expression x-1:2x where x is an even number greater than 2 and less than 12. The resultant ratios are 3:8, 5:12, 7:16 and 9:20. What you are hearing is the downbeats of repeated measures of 3/8, 8/8, 5/8,12/8, 7/8, 16/8, 9/8 and 20/8 played simultaneously. The kick drum fills in any 8th notes not already being played in the patterns. The prelude and the coda are different ways of expressing the same mathematical relationships.
Four Loops
Recorded February 2, 1990 on VHS tape. Audio and video dazzlingly salvaged by Dylan Gray. Performed by D'Arcy Gray.
The tempos, pitches, and rhythms shift according to the harmonic chord (root) progression I - IV - V - I (the fourth loop). The entire tune is based on the Pythagorian equivalent of pitch ratio (IV=4/3 of I, V=3/2 of I). For instance, the tempos adhere to the following pattern: I=60 beats per minute, IV=80 bpm, V=90 bpm.
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For more information, click on the PDF
Swing
Recorded February 2, 1990 on VHS tape. Audio and video masterfully salvaged by Dylan Gray. Performed by Karen Pincombe and D'Arcy Gray. Pages turned with great care and virtuosity by Terry Madill (R) and Mark Murrell (L).
Swing is meant to be heard with no breaks but needed to be split in two parts - YouTube's rules. Part One is a long introduction to Part Two and uses the same compositional techniques as Polymetric Ostinatos. The numbers used will become obvious as the tune unfolds. Since some would say I exhibit introverted tendencies, I thought it might be a good idea if Karen and I played ourselves in this electronic version. Part Two is a development, extension and further working out of the numbers used in Part One.
The verbal introduction of the tune at the concert was as follows: "The next tune I'm going to do is called Swing and Karen's going to help me play it. It started off being a very acoustic tune. The beginning of it used eight Tam Tams and you would have to reach up and.... The reason for calling it Swing was because the Tam Tams would swing back and forth. The other reason I called it Swing was because I thought if it ever got published, a bunch of jazzers might buy it."
New Life - Part 1
Recorded February 2, 1990 on VHS tape. Audio and video amazingly salvaged by Dylan Gray. The cast in order of appearance (left to right) Audrey Stephens, Karen Pincombe, Dale Brendon, D'Arcy Gray.
New Life begins with stars of the universe being born and progressing from chaos to order. In this performance, the universe never quite reaches the order I intended (I forgot the proper sequence and threw everyone off). The general idea remains intact.. A hand clap/ bass drum track runs throughout Reasons.
New Life - Reasons - Part 2
Watch for Karen's "equipment malfunction" at 2:45. She solves the problem without missing a note!
New Life - Explanations - Part 3
The monologue is a fair representation of the way all of the tunes presented on this concert were devised.
