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etLux
03-08-2007, 10:56 PM
This excerpt is reprinted with the kind and express permission of the New York Times
and Glenn Branca [www.glennbranca.com] from (TimesSelect subscription required):
http://thescore.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/03/06/the-in-search-of-the-lost-chords-contest/



The 'In Search of the Lost Chords' Contest

By Glenn Branca


The sweetest sounds I've ever heard are still inside my head.
— Richard Rogers


We discussed the widespread contempt in which ukulele players are held - traceable, we concluded, to the uke's all-but-exclusive employment as a producer of chords - single, timeless events apprehended all at once instead of serially. Notes of a linear melody, up and down a staff, being a record of pitch versus time, to play a melody is to introduce the element of time, and hence of mortality. Our perceived reluctance to leave the timelessness of the struck chord has earned ukulele players our reputation as feckless, clownlike children who will not grow up.
— Thomas Pynchon from "Against The Day"

Yes, this is a contest.

And it's open to any and everyone.

Here are the rules. Write and record up to three minutes of startlingly new and original instrumental chords. They can be scored in any fashion whatsoever, using any instrumentation or sound producing devices. You can submit a static series of chords or you can perturb the chords in any fashion. You can just submit one big gorgeous chord if you wish.

The submissions can be sent here in the form of a posted link to a site where a recording of the piece can be heard (like MySpace, for example). Leave the link in a comment at the end of this post. Don't send any music files.

At the end of the month I will announce the winners on my last blog entry.

I was hoping to be able to have some kind of small rewards for the winners, but it's not possible at this time. The links to all of the entries will stay posted in the comment section so that people can judge for themselves if they don't like my choices. But I will only post entries that seem to be within the spirit of the contest.

[Legal Note: By submitting a link to music you represent and warrant that the music found there is your original creation and that it does not infringe on any existing copyright.]

Anyone who can't post an entry because they're not a member of TimesSelect can just send the link to me at glenn@glennbranca.com and I'll post it.

~

Thanks due, to Peter Catapano at NYT and Glenn Branca.

David
www.DavidSosnowski.com
.

Tony Monaghan
03-09-2007, 04:10 AM
I'll give this one a go, I know at least three chords.

rayzalaf
03-09-2007, 04:36 AM
I'll give this one a go, I know at least three chords.
I think David's specifically targeting banjo players Tony

Ray

RichR
03-09-2007, 06:13 AM
I'll post as soon as I find those chords... know I left them around here somewhere. ~| Maybe by the grand piano :confused: ... maybe in the music bookshelpf:( ... I'll get back to you ... got to clean up this stuff :wow: ...

BarrieB
03-09-2007, 08:08 AM
David,

this is great idea - I just wish I had some time to give it a go!
For a long time I've had the idea of an orchestral piece which was made up of one great scrunchy chord - at all times every note of that chord would be present, but by using interlocking melody lines and counterpoint, and moving the root around to distract the ear into hearing different harmonic aspects of it - and using dynamics and the like the whole thing could sparkle and sing.
I'm deadline chasing at the moment but if anyone fancies using this idea - be my guest!

regards,

Barrie

(c'mon, you remember me David.. Barrie.. no? ... BARRIE!!)

Mitch Manthe
03-09-2007, 08:52 AM
Can you play chords on a euphonium????????????:confused::confused::confused ::confused::confused::confused::confused:

BarrieB
03-09-2007, 10:54 AM
Can you play chords on a euphonium????????????:confused::confused::confused ::confused::confused::confused::confused:

You can on euphoniA :wow:

BB

Garritan
03-09-2007, 10:59 AM
This is a great opportunity to practice harmonic overtone singing. :hp:

etLux
03-09-2007, 12:27 PM
This is a great opportunity to practice harmonic overtone singing. :hp:
Not to mention a great chance to get your name in the NYT... rofl.

David
www.DavidSosnowski.com
.

vic_france
03-09-2007, 12:45 PM
In the song "The Lost Chord", by Arthur Sullivan/Adelaide Procter, the lyrics describe the lost chord as sounding like a "great amen". Now, as anyone knows who has been to church at least once in his life, "Amen" usually consists of two chords, forming either a perfect~ or plagal cadence. The Lost Chord is therefore a simultaneous combination of these separate chords. If one assumes the key of C major, the Lost Chord is then C, D, E, F, G, A, B, and C.

QED (or possibly, not! :wow: :D )

noldar12
03-09-2007, 12:48 PM
Hmmm.... <starts looking for lost cords, and finds an old pair of corduroy pants>

This should work... <records sound of hand rubbing accross the cord ridges>

There, that does it...

Oh wait, you mean chords, not cords. Oh well.:)

etLux
03-09-2007, 02:24 PM
David,

this is great idea - I just wish I had some time to give it a go!
For a long time I've had the idea of an orchestral piece which was made up of one great scrunchy chord - at all times every note of that chord would be present, but by using interlocking melody lines and counterpoint, and moving the root around to distract the ear into hearing different harmonic aspects of it - and using dynamics and the like the whole thing could sparkle and sing.
I'm deadline chasing at the moment but if anyone fancies using this idea - be my guest!

regards,

Barrie

(c'mon, you remember me David.. Barrie.. no? ... BARRIE!!)

Remember you? Why, I have your name tattooed on my
dog's left foreleg, Barrie. (Oddly, he developed a peculiar
distaste for Purina Monkey Chow shortly thereafter; but
other than that, he seems to like it.)

This (above) sounds like an interesting idea!

David
www.DavidSosnowski.com
.

Pingu
03-09-2007, 04:48 PM
David,

For a long time I've had the idea of an orchestral piece which was made up of one great scrunchy chord - at all times every note of that chord would be present, but by using interlocking melody lines and counterpoint, and moving the root around to distract the ear into hearing different harmonic aspects of it - and using dynamics and the like the whole thing could sparkle and sing.


Isn't this what Weber's Symphony is? And pretty much all of Ligeti's music of the late 60s to the 80s- the first movement of the Chamber Concerto being a stunning example. Not forgetting some of Steve Reich's later work, and John Adam's 'Grand Pianola Music.'

Leaf
03-09-2007, 05:34 PM
I'll give this one a go, I know at least three chords.I have three, but I'm going to only send them two.

etLux
03-09-2007, 05:57 PM
I have three, but I'm going to only send them two.

Why not send two-thirds of each chord, and hold
back one-third of each for yourself?

David
www.DavidSosnowski.com
.

BarrieB
03-10-2007, 02:21 AM
Isn't this what Weber's Symphony is? And pretty much all of Ligeti's music of the late 60s to the 80s- the first movement of the Chamber Concerto being a stunning example. Not forgetting some of Steve Reich's later work, and John Adam's 'Grand Pianola Music.'

Don't ya hate it when someone steals your idea? Adams Shmadams indeed!!
Actually I'm beginning to think it's a rubbish idea:(

BB

Pingu
03-10-2007, 02:27 AM
Don't ya hate it when someone steals your idea? Adams Shmadams indeed!!
Actually I'm beginning to think it's a rubbish idea:(

BB

You've got to be kidding - it's a great idea! If you find yourself independently coming up with ideas that have fuelled careers like Ligeti's then you're doing something right.

BarrieB
03-10-2007, 03:33 AM
You've got to be kidding - it's a great idea! If you find yourself independently coming up with ideas that have fuelled careers like Ligeti's then you're doing something right.

Pingu! You're right of course. I'm gonna sue the pants off this Ligeti guy - now where's his phone number.. It's going to be Ligetigation!!:D

BB

SeanHannifin
03-10-2007, 03:37 AM
I'm still searching for new colors...

(without having to electrocute myself)

... it'll change painting forever.

But, gee, I just can't do it. I'll start a contest. Anybody that can find a new color to help push the art world forward, please email me a picture of the color and I will post it on my blog.

BarrieB
03-10-2007, 04:06 AM
I'm still searching for new colors...

(without having to electrocute myself)

... it'll change painting forever.

But, gee, I just can't do it. I'll start a contest. Anybody that can find a new color to help push the art world forward, please email me a picture of the color and I will post it on my blog.

In an earlier life as a theatre MD working with a really crap and slow lighting director I did suggest that the best colour he did was black..:rolleyes:
Sadly that isn't a NEW colour.

BB

Reegs
03-10-2007, 08:53 AM
But, gee, I just can't do it. I'll start a contest. Anybody that can find a new color to help push the art world forward, please email me a picture of the color and I will post it on my blog.

aqua-mauve