> The Minotaur involves four dancers playing a composed musical score (by
> bay-area composer Erling Wold, who is flying out extra for the event)
> entirely by their movements in 3-D space.
This doesn't make clear whether the score is completely predetermined
(which would require determinism on the part of the dancers, to
deliver reproducible sequences of gestures) or not.
> Five different kinds of note lines are used in "Happenings": 1)
> single notes, 2) permanent notes =96 which play until an
> "off-switch", or "off-switching" note is played, 3) repetitive notes
> =96 which pulse or trill as long as they are activated, 4) chords,
> or combinations of notes, and, 5) sequences, pre-programmed sets of
> notes.
So how do these musical components relate to the notion of a "composed
musical score"? Are the components preset?
Where is it decided which notes get triggered by particular dancers
and/or gestures: is that semantically part of the score?
How long are the sequences? Are they rhythmic or pulse-based? If so,
what synchronisation is provided between simultaneous sequences?
Lots of questions, I know, but I'm trying to come up with a set of
abstractions for modulating timbral components via dance so I'm
curious what your starting points are, and what abstractions you've
actually identified and worked with.
> Most of the sounds used in the piece are generated on a Proteus 2
> synthesizer, though some are also sampled.
I'm not sure I understand this sentence. The Proteus 2 is (ROM) sample
based, and is not a particularly powerful synthesiser when it comes to
timbral design; and yet the suggestion here is that the synthesised
sounds from the P2 are distinct from the sampled sounds.
--
Nick Rothwell, CASSIEL contemporary dance projects
http://www.cassiel.com music synthesis and control
NOTICE - vessel has triple screws - keep clear of blades