KUIPER'S TROUSERS - Garritan Steinway & Mixed Ensemble (Sosnowski)

[etLux]

David,

Very interesting piece. In as much as the stochastic elements are randomly generated by mathematical processes, does that mean it's different each time you run it?

Bill

Interesting, well... in the sense maybe that wind chimes
are. (That's a serious comment, not one of my jokes.)

Yes, you're correct, Bill. Each time it is "played" (in this
case, it's "played" by a special software engine) -- it
would be quite different.

Let me take this apart a little, the way it works. Let's
look at one element: pitch.

One would create a list of acceptable pitches... that's
the input of the "composer". An algorithm (mathematical
formula) would randomly choose from the list of notes
which note to play at a given time. A stochastic (random)
element in the formula would also intervene, however,
deciding that maybe it would or maybe it would not play
the note at all when it was supposed to be played.

In addition to pitch, dynamics and duration would be
treated similarly... with the stochastic intervention
probabalistically deciding to use the "scheduled" value,
or maybe just pick a different one, randomly.

There's a little more going on in this piece; but that's
basically the layout... with three such formula groups
driving the piano, three driving percussion, one driving
vibes, another bells, another strings, and so on.

As you see, certain factors are deterministic, fixed,
derived from lists and processed by an unchanging
mathematical formula. But other factors are entirely
up to chance... or as close as you come to "chance"
on a computer, in that "random number generators"
on computers are really only pseudo-random.

Now. Is this "composition"? You can argue both sides
of the line, I guess. One could posit that the "composer"
makes key decisions about notes and durations and
dynamics and writes the formulae that process them;
and that the result reflects the thinking and the
sensibilities of the "writer".

But to me? It seems more like software engineering.

Regardless, I'll probably do a few more of these, in that
the results -- while unlikely to supplant Beethoven and
Mozart -- can be intriguing... and occasionally even
listenable!

My best,



David
www.DavidSosnowski.com

[rpearl]

David,

Nothing like channeling your inner Xenakis, eh? There is also a bit of Varese, here; and it's all to the good. There is a kind of pace and logic - sort of a tang rhythm gone seriously astray...

Maybe not the place you want to live, but it yields some interesting sounds and textures; and that can be a great value down the road. Some cool stuff that grows on me...

[Garritan]

David,

This piece is something unexpected from you. But we come to expect the unexpected from you. This work does grow on you and there is an uncanny "feel" to it.

The math and creative process behind it is fascinating. It certainly is "out there" as Trent mentioned (way beyond Uranus and Neptune). Kuiper's Trousers is tailor-made for the Steinway which does well with modern material.

It is unfortunate poor Pluto was relegated to the Kaiser Belt after being demoted from a planet. This music is a kind reminder as to what will happen to planets if the trousers don't quite fit.

Thanks for posting it. I really enjoyed it.

Gary

[etLux]

Hi Euler,

Thanks for taking a "chance" on this... lol!

A curious piece - very whimsical with a lot of charm. The patterns seem just around the corner from being recognizable and bits do stick in one's memory. I like that the various instruments have their own space and don't get all muddled together.

I find myself speaking at a distance about this piece;
as though it weren't mine. And maybe it isn't! Perhaps
it's really covered under some obscure Microsoft
patent?

Given that, though, I can observe it dispassionately.
And that "just around the corner" sense of pattern and
reason -- I like the way you put it -- is something that
keeps striking me, as well.

As far as texture, ensemble, and so on -- surely, yes,
there are certain aesthetics that are under the control
of the "composer"... and reflective of my preferences.

Indeed, one colleague of mine insists that he hears
distinct elements of my [usual] writing style in this!

Who knows! Could be, I guess.

I can see it being the background for an animation of little creatures (crickets, frogs, mice etc.) hopping about.

That's actually a very interesting observation, Euler.
Around here, during the warmer months, we have "peepers"
(small frogs) that live in nearby wetlands. At night, they
all take voice, and they can really raise a ruckus! But
if you sit and listen to them... gradually subtle patterns,
just at the edge of sense, emerge. This piece strikes me
similarly.

My best,



David
www.DavidSosnowski.com

[etLux]

David

I would say this one is out past the Kuiper Trousers. Maybe closer to OORT's Thunderstorms?

Ron

Steve and I are discussing the possibility of adding
knuckle-cracking. Thunderstorms? I'll add them to
the list.

Thanks for giving it a listen, Ron -- pleased to see
you survived it.

Best,



David
www.DavidSosnowski.com

[etLux]

Hi Steve,

David:

We are definitely on the same page.

Very probably. The house of mirrors at the local
carnival is fun to visit. But you don't want to
take up permanent residence there... lol.

Be careful when dealing with "body noises."

What! No borborygmi?

Being a former road musician, dance band variety, I have always had reservations about this kind of music, as far as playability was concerned.

This piece, specifically, would be quite playable, I think.
The more apropos question, though, might be: Why
would you want to do so?

Most of the composers I knew were fellow faculty but "pointy headed intellectuals" and never had actually played in a group. Most of them didn't even know what a part should look like. It was like solving a mathematical problem to them and they would get upset because players were balking at trying to perform this "stuff."

We're certainly on the same page with that. It's one
thing to create music with merit that challenges players.
It's quite another to create the equivalent of Rubik's
Cube in tandem with cruel and unusual punishment.

I also firmly believe that we need this type of musical exploration, if only to help us decide not to go there.

Explorations like this, taken of themselves, probably
rarely yield worthwhile results that would withstand the
tests of historical survival.

And to me, that's not the point of them. Inherent
in exercises like this are the germs of good ideas and
techniques that eventually may fructify into useful,
valid material. In that, yes, they're worth doing!

My best,



David
www.DavidSosnowski.com

[klassical]

David - That was fun. It's great that you're open enough to try different things. You never know when a crazy idea might lead to something more substantial.

You've also given me hope that I might post something of my own someday without being tarred and feathered by my fellow GPOers.

Thanks for testing the waters, - k

[rolifer]

David

I would say this one is out past the Kuiper Trousers. Maybe closer to OORT's Thunderstorms?

Ron

David

Maybe I was too Obtuse.

If a belt needs trousers....

Then Doesn't a cloud need a storm?

Oort's cloud?

Ron

[DDW]

Hi David,

It took a while, but your signature still eventually appeared (kind of like disappearing ink in the Bizarro World). You've quite definitely demonstrated the versatility of the Steinway with your usual aplomb while still nudging us to take a listen well past the "norm".

Due to my somewhat limited intellectual elasticity, it can difficult to stretch my brain around music like this, so I just kicked back and completely enjoyed its quirkiness; and I dug it! Especially after reading your explanation of your process of achieving this particualr work using algorithmic stochastic minimalism (ASM), though, it became all too obvious to me that -- if I ever wanted to take a stab at this myself -- I'd have to invent some type of junior varsity sub-category... maybe "stunningly pea-brained algorithmic stochastic minimalism" (SPASM).

Sooo... is the zipper next???

As you so often flatteringly and graciously close your responses to others, let me say...

With deep admiration ,

Danny

[etLux]

Hi Ron,

David,

Nothing like channeling your inner Xenakis, eh? There is also a bit of Varese, here; and it's all to the good. There is a kind of pace and logic - sort of a tang rhythm gone seriously astray...

I'd steal from Iannis Xenakis without scruple; but
since just about everyone already has done so, by
then it would be third-hand... lol. That sort of "sense"
that emerges out of this is inexplicable; and something
for which I take no credit. I think maybe it arises
from the minimalism aspect of it -- a limited set of
resources, reused, repeated; resulting in the implication
of some manner of pattern and structure.

Maybe not the place you want to live, but it yields some interesting sounds and textures; and that can be a great value down the road. Some cool stuff that grows on me...

Gosh, I hate to admit it out loud; I've very mixed
opinions of this kind of approach; but something
about it does kind of get under your skin... lol.

Thanks for listening, Ron!

Always my best,




David
www.DavidSosnowski.com