Recognitions
Recognitions – This is a multi-media opera that I wrote in 1995 -’96. The work consists of three arias for soprano and four sections of electronic recitative. The arias, two with chamber orchestra accompaniment and one with solo slide guitar accompaniment, are based on texts that I wrote. The texts of the electronic recitative sections are fragments from William Gaddis’ novel Recognitions. Soprano Amy Duggins (who premiered the piece) was recorded while speaking these text fragments, and the recordings were then digitally processed and manipulated in ways that reflect the meaning of the texts. While the work is being performed, other text fragments from Recognitions and fragments of drawings created by Joe Lohre are projected on a large screen placed above the performers.
The piece is designed so that meaning is conveyed in three ways: the singer
directly addresses the audience through the aria texts, the electronic
recitative presents what the singer is really thinking, and the video
imagery comments on and complements the thoughts conveyed through the
recitative. The texts deal with moments of recognition that we all experience
throughout life – moments that change the direction and meaning of
our lives.
The electronic recitative was created on NeXT and SGI Indy computers,
and the work was put together using rt. The majority of the processing
utilized digital signal processing instruments that I designed with Brad
Garton using the Cmix language. I also used sample-based granular synthesis
techniques and the program Gran on the SGI computer.
Included below are mp3 files of the electronic recitative and the drawings
by Joe Lohre.
