I’m diving back into a creative endeavor I began in 2023: a composition that marries the sounds of an orchestra with a digital recording, a modern-day interpretation of the classic orchestra & tape pieces. This project found its roots in the insights I gleaned from Steve Reich’s book “Conversations,” a read that also sparked the idea for my new project, “Music from Humans.”
During my college years, I composed a digital tape piece titled WhatdouWant?, drawing inspiration from Reich’s phase tape works like Come Out and It’s Gonna Rain. Unfortunately, this piece is currently imprisoned in a DAT tape, inaccessible for sharing (unless someone has a DAT deck I can use), but it was my initial foray into using Reich’s phasing techniques, layering various samples and synthesizer sounds. Now, three decades later, this new work revisits and expands on those early ideas.
For this yet-unnamed piece, I’ve sourced my material from a range of presidential quotes — some uplifting, others less so. The voices, all from modern-era presidents starting with Franklin Delano Roosevelt, were selected through an immersive process; some quotes were clear choices, while others emerged from deep listening sessions through historical speeches. So far, the roster includes voices from FDR, Eisenhower, JFK, LBJ, Nixon, Reagan, Clinton, Bush Jr, Obama, & Trump.
The current phase of the project involves cleaning up these audio clips and constructing the “tape” component of the composition. Like WhatdouWant?, this piece creates a foundational drone from a phased loop of a Trump quote. Similar to Reich’s methodology, this section involves slightly desynchronizing the playback speeds to create the phasing effect, which I’ve found works best in mono, as stereo seems to allow the brain to more easily distinguish the separate tracks, thus enhancing the rhythmic phasing.
This evolving drone spans just under 15 minutes, allowing room to build an introductory section and a climactic ending, aiming for a total duration of 15 minutes. The intro echoes Reich’s style, presenting the quote in a context closer to its original form. The climax, inspired by the Beatles’ A Day in the Life, accelerates and ascends in pitch until it abruptly stops.
In 2023, I began layering other presidential quotes over this sonic foundation, manipulating them for various effects. My goal now is to finalize this “tape” part of the composition first. Subsequently, I plan to integrate the orchestra, weaving in some of Reich’s techniques from Different Trains. I envision the tape part more as a soloist complemented by the orchestra.
I’m excited to share this creative journey with you, planning to post updates as the piece progresses. Stay tuned for insights into my process as this composition takes shape, with the aim of premiering it at the May SFCCO concert. Check back often for the latest developments in this fusion of history, music, and technology.
