Join us for an evening of music in just tunings:
Righteous Intonation
Chris Brown- 6Primes- piano works in limit 13 just intonation
Stephen Parris/Daniel Schmidt- Gamelan Encinal- just slendro tuning
@ Turquoise Yantra Grotto
Fri. Sept. 4, 8-10 pm
32 Turquoise Way SF
$10-15
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6Primes (2014)
Six Pieces for Piano in 13-limit Just Intonation
by
Chris BrownThe first four pieces will be played at this concert.
1: 13-7-6-4
subsections: 7-6, 7-4, 6-4, 13-4, 13-7-6, 13-7-4, 7-6-4, 13-6, 13-6-4,13-7-6-4, 13-7 2: 11-7-6-4
subsections: 11-7, 11-7-6, 11-6, 11-6-4, 11-4, 6-4, 7-6-4, 7-6, 11-7-4, 7-4, 11-7-6-4
3: 13-6-5-4
subsections: 13-5-4, 13-4, 13-6-5-4 (13 bars), 6-5-4, 6-5, 6-4, 13-6-5-4(13 bars),
13-6-5, 13-5, 5-4, 13-6-5-4 (13 bars), 13-6, 13-6-4
4: 7-6-5-4
subsections: 7-5, 7-5-4, 7-4, 5-4, 6-5-4, 6-5, 6-4, 7-6, 7-6-4, 7-6-5, 7-6-5-4
Program Notes
6Primes is composed using the six prime numbers 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, and 13 to govern both its tuning and temporal structure, including harmony, rhythmic subdivisions, and form. I wrote this music to explore the limits of using the same integer ratios to simultaneously provide melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic materials. The piano is retuned in just intonation using a tuning system in which one interval ratio has highest prime factor of 2, three ratios have the highest prime of 3, and two ratios each have highest primes of 5, 7, 11 and 13. This creates a great diversity of interval relationships among all 12 notes: whereas equal temperament has just twelve distinct intervals, this tuning has 75. Just intonation schemes often do not employ prime number ratios that exceed 7, since ratios using 11 and 13 are quite remote to learn to recognize and tune. Similarly, most rhythmic relationships in common use are subdivisions of 2 and 3, less often 5 and 7, and rarely more. But as each higher prime is added to the vocabulary, new musical experiences obtain. In writing and playing these pieces I’ve found that the level of difficulty for playing the rhythms increases at a similar rate as it does for tuning and composing with the pitches. And while recognizing the commonality of pitch intervals to similar rhythmic subdivisions is not intuitive, since they are both manifestations of similar proportions for dividing time, when they are heard together one comes to appreciate their natural congruence. This harmony-rhythm composing method was pioneered in the early music of Henry Cowell and was played by a few adventurous performers and by his Rhythmicon machine. In learning to play this music today, computers are similarly very helpful!
To find my way through the complexities of 75 intervals, I made six pieces that reduced them by using just four prime ratios at a time, creating a set of modes. The title of each piece states these primes, although 2 is always represented as 4, and 3 more often as 6. Each piece is also structured into 11 sections that each use one of the all possible combinations of 2, 3, or 4 numbers to provide pitch and rhythmic material. The measure length of each section is also equal to the sum of these numbers. Thus each piece defines a harmonic-rhythmic mode, and each section within the piece explores a particular subset of it. The purpose of this method is to prescribe hearing and playing of all the possible relationships within each piece, each for more or less an equal amount of time; and within the entire set of six pieces to explore all 75 ratios equally and thoroughly. Further, this design made it possible to feature all the ratios equally regardless of their simplicity (consonance) or complexity (dissonance), avoiding progressive schemes of leading from one of those qualities to another. The materials of the music speak for themselves with their own expressive qualities, regardless of whether or not the proportions defining them are recognized.
Bio:
Chris Brown, composer, pianist, and electronic musician, creates music for acoustic instruments with interactive electronics, for computer networks, and for improvising ensembles. Collaboration and improvisation are consistent themes in his work, along with the invention and performance of new electronic instruments and software. He is a founding member of The HUB, the pioneering network music ensemble, and has composed many interactive works for the percussionist William Winant (Iconicities, New World Records.) His trio with Winant and saxophonist Frank Gratkowski were featured on the 2009 Donaueschingen Musiktage. His most recent music explores microtonal tunings, including 6Primes, for piano in 13-limit just intonation, Arcade for string quartet, and Ragamala Chiaroscuro, for wind trio. Recordings are available on New World, Tzadik, Pogus, Intakt, Rastascan, Ecstatic Peace, Red Toucan, SIRR, Leo, and Artifact labels. He is currently a Professor of Music at Mills College and Co-Director of the Center for Contemporary Music (CCM). http://cbmuse.com
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Gamelan Encinal is an aluminum gamelan ensemble that focuses on contemporary works. The instruments use the same just tuning that was used by Lou Harrison and Bill Colvig for Si Madeleine and Si Darius at Mills College.
Stephen Parris is a composer and performer whose work has followed his interests in improvisation, and Javanese and American gamelan traditions. His work as a guitarist and improviser can be heard through various ensembles from the Monktail Creative Music Concern. As a gamelan musician, he has performed and recorded as a member of Gamelan Pacifica, and performed with Sari Raras, Mynah Gamelan, and Gamelan Sekar Jaya. He is currently the director and founder of Gamelan Encinal.
Daniel Schmidt Likes to take the scenic route. He spent the latter half of the 20th century dividing his efforts between electronic music, mixed media work, theater based activities, instrument design and building, singing, teaching, and performing and writing for traditional and American Gamelan. He has worked with Allan Kaprow, studied with K.R.T. Wasitodiningrat, helped build the electronic music studios at Cal Arts, and has built numerous aluminum gamelans. He has been the director of the Berkeley Gamelan, the Eugene Chamber Theater, and currently directs the gamelan ensembles at Mills College and the Universal Unitarian Church of Berkeley.
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The Turquoise Yantra Grotto is a house concert series for avant improvisers and invented instrumentalists with a focus on ethno-modernism and extended techniques. We hold a monthly event which is part concert, part art opening and part social club, near glen canyon in San Francisco.
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Cost: $10-15