Decibel 271 is the second collaborative project between scientist C. Loren Buck and composer Alexander Liebermann. The composition aims to structurally portray the life of a female bowhead whale, from her birth in 1754 to her death in 2025—reaching the remarkable age of 271, one year older than the projected bowhead whale.

Each measure in the piece corresponds to a single year in the whale’s life, with each measure lasting just over one second. The work is divided into distinct sections, reflecting key phases of the whale’s biological development.

Composed by
Alexander Liebermann

Produced by
Alexander Liebermann & Loren C. Buck

Performed by
Jeremy Lap Hei Hao – violin
Selin Algoz – violin
Jeremy Klein – viola
Julia Lee – cello

Mixing & Mastering
Tyler Niedermeyer

Recorded at
Manhattan School of Music (2025) 

Decibel 271

Recorded with my 1972 Antonio Duran, capo on the 2nd fret. 

Fantasia -William Byrd

Harry Stafylakis (b. 1982)
www.hstafylakis.com

Never the Same River (2016) 
for orchestra

Commissioned by the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra.

Read by the Aspen Conducting Academy Orchestra, Felix Mildenberger conducting. Recorded live by Adam Borecki on July 20, 2016 in Harris Hall, Aspen, CO.

World premiere by the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Alexander Mickelthwate, at the Winnipeg New Music Festival on January 31, 2017 in Centennial Concert Hall, Winnipeg, Manitoba. 

Score and parts available for rental (PDF or hard copy) through my website: www.hstafylakis.com/contact



Program Notes:

“No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man.”
—Heraclitus

The above aphorism, attributed to pre-Socratic philosopher Heraclitus of Ephesus (quoted by Plato in the dialogue Cratylus), expresses a view of the universe as being in a constant state of change. A musical analogue to this concept of impermanence is the chaconne, a Baroque form wherein a constantly repeating pattern (e.g. harmonic progression, bass line, etc.) provides a foundation for a process of continuous variation, decoration, figuration, and melodic invention. 

Never the Same River is a texture-based composition that attempts to embody Heraclitus’s philosophy of simultaneous constancy and flux. The work is propelled by a 26-note melody that outlines a perpetually-repeating harmonic progression, serving as the chaconne theme. First presented by the harp and percussion, the theme serves as a vehicle for the gradual textural development of the musical surface. The orchestra slowly emerges as captured harmonic resonances of the harp and percussion theme accumulate and gradually take over the texture. 

Throughout the work, the instruments of the orchestra act as semi-independent musical streams whose ever-shifting interactions conspire to effectuate a large-scale rhythmic, melodic, articulative, registral, and dynamic intensification. At the peak of this textural crescendo, the music buckles under its own weight and breaks off into disconnected fragments that struggle to rekindle the musical flow in fits and starts. Although the chaconne theme has been looping almost continuously, as the music winds down to its calm conclusion there is a sense of having traversed a great distance.
— HS

www.hstafylakis.com

Never the Same River (orchestra)

Never the Same River (2016) for orchestra

In Memoria, was written after the recent passing of my Nan and draws upon her love of choral music, and sets the text Ave Maris Stella (Hail Star of the Sea). 

Performed by the Cardiff University Contemporary Music Group Vocal Ensemble in the annual Student Showcase: 5th April 2017.

CMG Vocal Ensemble
Soprano: Sarah Derrick, Clare Pooley, Jessica Thomas, Carwen George, Mariana Dickinson, Xiaoyue Ruan, Robyn Pullen
Alto: Elan Richards, Rebecca Lawrence, Amelia Clarkson, Leigh Banner, Nadia Field-Lefert, Alexandra Butler
Tenor: Carwyn Harris, Sebastian Noltenius Palos, Christopher Davis, David Russell
Bass: Frederick Hodkin, Conall Keaveney, Luke James, Bernard Bertshinger, Owen McCarthy, Timothy Johnston

Recording mastered by Timothy Johnston.

© Copyright Thomas R Haslehurst 2017

In Memoria

Be Gentle No.1 (2017)

Max Vibes 3 [WIP]

Gjendines bådnlåt is a traditional lullaby which can be traced back to Kaia Gjendine Slålien (1870-1971), a milkmaid from the Jotunheimen area. Well known for her repertoire of songs, she met Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg (1843-1907) on several occasions. Many of her ballads and lullabies formed the basis for his 1896 collection of “19 Norwegian Folk Songs – Op.66” which he arranged for the piano. Gjendines bådnlåt is the last piece in the collection. My version of the lullaby is mixing up various versions of the lullaby.

Lyrics:

Bånet legges i vuggen ned
stundom gråter, stundom ler (x2)
sove nå sove nå, I Jesu namn
Jesus bevare bånet (x2)

Min mor ho tok meg på sitt fang
dansa med meg fram og tilbake
Min mor ho tok meg på sitt fang
dansa med meg att och fram
Danse så med de små, danse så
så skal borna danse (x2)


Translation:
The child is placed in the crib
Sometimes crying, sometimes smiling
Sleep now, sleep now, in the name of Jesus
Jesus keep the child safe
 
My mother takes me in her arms
danced with me back and forth
Dance with the little ones, dance
So shall they dance

Gjendine's Lullaby

Gjendines Lullaby (Gjendines bådnlåt)  | Trad. Norwegian Folk | Marianne Lihannah | Nyckelharpa

The Truth Unfolds (2019)

The Next Chapter (2019)

Outcast Star

Composer inspired by the connections between music, nature, and science.

Featured in National Geographic and on CBS Sunday Morning.

Author of Birdsong: A Musical Field Guide, available on Amazon.

Graduate of the Hanns Eisler School of Music, Juilliard, and Manhattan School of Music.

Photo credit: Anna Baptist

Decibel 271

Alexander Liebermann

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