[Robert Artist Texts]

CHRIS BROWN - COMPOSITIONS

ALTERNATING CURRENTS (1983) a model of electro-physical motion was used to map the flow of four simultaneously heard sound strata back and forth across a center that is articulated in space, tempo, subdivided rhythm, and tonality

ICEBERG (1985) concerned with rhythmically sequenced electronic transformations of percussive sounds...all the electronic sounds are made by transforming the acoustic sounds produced by a solo percussionist who co-ordinates to the rhythmic changes of timbre written in the score

OBEDIENCE SCHOOL (1986) a prepared electric piano that I built in 1982 is sampled during performance and the computer monitoring program responds by playing back interactively at changing speeds and tempi...the sounds were created with percussive tone generators made from small metallic objects such as springs, twisted music wire, tunings pins, and strings...the program changes the signal processing based on data derived from the performer's sounds... the keyboard is the master, feeding the computer and commanding its obedience, but the servant has a life of it's own - both are snared in a symbiotic relationship that is never entirely predictable...

SNAKECHARMER (1986) a computer's pitch follower follows a soloist, but also hears it's own system's electronic sound, a system that chases it's own tail (Ouroboros, the Snake), feeding back in modes that can be influenced by the acoustic performer (the Charmer)

HALL OF MIRRORS (1987) I am particularly interested in this situation for the interactive performer:a physical gesture has both acoustic and electronic responses, a changing multiplicity of meaning...the modulations are multiple, reflected images of the sounds from the acoustic instrument itself, and the nature of their distortions extends from information derived from the performance

ROLE'M (1988) a computer-conductor rolls "virtual dice" to choose from among a set of descriptions of musical textures and durations that range from 10 to 60 seconds...then it sends text messages to players on a computer network that describe the role ofeach player is in realizing the current texture (such as, "BOSS", "LEAD", "ACCOMPANY", "FILL", "WALLFLOWER" and "SUBMISSIVE")...it also transmits the length of the current texture, information about the next section to come, and a common clock...electronic sounds made by each player are processed and mixed by an automated signal processor controlled by the computer-conductor...whenever a player is instructed not to play during a section, he/she may decide to produce sound by purely acoustic means

HUBRENGA (1989) an audience-interactive, music/poetry piece made possible by the communication between two computer networks and FM radio..collaborators were The Hub, novelist and musician Ramon Sender, and poets from the poetry conference of The Well (Whole Earth 'Lectronic Link) and KPFA-FM in Berkeley... poets submit poetry to the piece through the Well.At KPFA, Ramon browses through the submissions as they come in, readingthem aloud as a part of the music. the Hub also receives the words, filtering it for specific "key words" that have beendetermined in advance of the performance to trigger specific musical responses from The Hub.During the performance,poets listen to the piece over the radio while they are shaping it through their communications with The Well.. the purpose is with this technology to create a situation in which a large network of collaborators are tied together from various remote locations in creating an interactive performance

DUO (1989) a piece in which both players are equally responsible for a single sound continuum

QUARTET WITH SHADOWS (1990) a 4 voice harmonizer creates four-voice chords from single notes played by one of each of 4 saxophones, contrasting a harmonized "shadow" choir with a live saxophone quartet

CHAIN REACTION (1991) two MIDI controllers (a keyboard and "Airdrums") interact, controlling each other's electronic sound, as well as modulations of a tenor saxophone and acoustic piano

LAVA (1990-92, in progress) a 55 minute work for brass quartet, 4 percussion, and 4 channels of electronic sound generated interactively by a computer controlled signal processing system... uses simultaneously occurring multiple tempi, with independent rates of change of speed to imitate the motion of molten lava streams - all compositional elements are in a state of transformation...there are no fixed pitches, timbres, or tempi, just directions of pitch, timbral, and rhythmic change in the score, with exact timings as to when such actions begin and complete... a complex phasing of turbulent, yet gradually changing parts, played out in rhythmic counterpoint to spatialization patterns formed by sound from the instrumentalists being captured, transformed, delayed, and placed electronically at different locations around the hall