for Alto Saxophone, Color Video, and Electronic Sound .. (1985) .. 12:42
with Christine Meyer
Easy.
A young woman waits in a lonely subway station. She paces slowly. From this minor, everyday situation emerges an extended world of internal feelings. These are reflected first in sound, which is built up of resonances of different voices, the ambient electrical buzzes and cavernous hums of the station, and the clatter of the moving train. The soundscape is elaborated by voice-like alto and soprano saxophones, as they sing, wail, laugh, and gasp for breath. Eventually they subside to states of grace, peace, then repose.
Through video image processing, the scene of the young woman is freed to become a part of many forms and colors. She moves as in a dreamflow adagio. Highlights of liquid color, slow flickers of near and distant visions, floating bands of sights and illusions--all form a dialogue with the sound and the music.
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MUSICIANS WHO PERFORM “THE STILLNESS”
Chuck Berg, alto saxophone
Robert Black, double bass
Jane Ira Bloom, alto saxophone
Nathaniel Bobbitt, flute
Stella Cappellini, alto saxophone
Dan Davis, alto saxophone
David Demsey, alto saxophone
F. Gerard Errante, clarinet
Robert N. Esterle, alto saxophone
Gerald J. Farmer, alto saxophone
Enzo Filippetti, alto saxophone
Steve Gauci, alto saxophone
Fred Hemke, alto saxophone
Michael Jacobson, alto saxophone
Jeffrey Krieger, electronic cello
Drake Mabry, oboe
James T. Mauney, Jr., alto saxophone
Maria Meissner, alto saxophone
Tom Myer, alto saxophone
Bruce Pennycook, alto saxophone
Tom Plsek, alto saxophone
Scott D. Plugge, alto saxophone
Michael Riessler, alto saxophone
Rachel Rudich, flute
Jeremy Ruthrauff, alto saxophone
Leo Saguiguit, alto saxophone
John Sampen, alto saxophone
Amy Schwartzberg, alto saxophone
Steve Skov, electric bass
Miles Smith, alto saxophone
Marshall Taylor, alto saxophone
Christian Vuust, alto saxophone
Christopher Williams, alto saxophone
CREDITS AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Production, Direction, Music, Editing, Video, Image Processing, Computer Animation, Sound, Audio Processing: Reynold Weidenaar
With Christine Meyer
Recorded Soprano Saxophonist: Marshall Taylor
Alto Saxophone Performer, Composite Version: Marshall Taylor
Ghost Pianist for Image Processing Control Signals: Barbara Blegen
16mm Camera and Direction of Location Footage for “No Tollkeeper at the Gate”: Meryl Bronstein
Assistant Sound: Harry Killas
Video Post-Production Editing Engineer: Will Lashley
Audio Engineer, Composite Version: Tom Bush
Video production at, and production assistance provided by, the Experimental Television Center, Owego, N.Y., which is supported in part by the New York State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. ETC video computer and software design by David Jones and Paul Davis.
Video Post-Production at Broadway Video, New York, N.Y., through the On-line Program of Media Alliance.
Audio Production and Post-Production at The Sound Shop, New York, N.Y., through the On-line Program of Media Alliance.
This work was supported by a Composer Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Special thanks to patrons of the Broadway-Nassau Subway Station, New York City, November 12, 1982.
For Barbara Blegen.
Copyright © 1985 by Magnetic Music Publishing Co. (ASCAP).
