Sudden Death, v. 2016, assembled electroacoustic music in fixed format.

Unfortunately, this piece began as a meditative contemplation of the spontaneity of death. It seems to be an inescapable part of our current society, and, rather than be pessimistic, I suppose it’s best to focus on the value of what we have in the moment. Perhaps this feeling has always been there, but now, it seems extremely strong. For some of us, remaining optimistic is a daily fight.

This is a pensive work about inner thoughts, dread, joy, doubt, inspiration – thoughts that emerge when you zone out amongst daily events. It is a testimonial for the value of these thoughts, the zoning out, and the lack of their existence in our waking life. Stop. Breathe. Think. Forgive. Embrace in the world in front of you until it changes or ends – because it will. 

Sudden Death is a fixed-media, electroacoustic work. It is intended to be diffused over a four-channel quadraphonic system, and sounds best if it includes a subwoofer. It can also be presented in stereo 2.1. It was created from a combination of sounds: recorded soundscapes, digital processing, and ARP 2600 synthesizer. 

This one’s for Ethan.

Sudden Death (fixed media version, 2016)

A 10 minuteSaturday afternoon improvisation session with guitar and electronics. Max/MSP and a Squire strat.

2016 09 17

This is an extremely low-fi recording of the performance of my work Serpentine for timpanist and 4-channel electronic music. It was performed on Oct 28, 2011 by Andrew Buchanan (who commissioned the work) at the Electroacoustic Barn Dance Music Festival, University of Mary Washington, Fredericksburg, VA.

Serpentine (iphone recording)

Music for Catwalks was an interactive sound installation performed in November, 2010 at the Doudna Fine Arts Center at Eastern Illinois Unviersity, Charleston. Microphones were places in the large public foyer of the building, to pick up sounds from passersby. Those sounds were fed into a laptop. I then manipulated these sounds and layered them with other samples to produce a composite texture. The composite sound texture was diffused into the space using 4 loudspeakers. 



Music for Catwalks - 5 min. excerpt

Karma Is a Cruel Mistress, completed in 2017, for double bass and computer.
Demo recording created 01 August 2017.

Program Note:

Karma is a Cruel Mistress, if she exists. 

I began this work soon after the November 2016 election, but it evolved into a reflection upon current events. We are taught to believe that there is a balance between good evil. Is that so? Do love and hate have a symbiotic relationship? Beauty can be found in a world of dark, dissonant moments. This essence is our source of hope.   

The bass is out of tune because the world is imperfect. A and G strings have been detuned a quarter flat. This creates interesting relationships between harmonic overtones for each string, and certain portions of the piece exploit these dyads. 

The detuning can be overcome by adjusting fingering position of traditional notes on the double bass, however harmonic overtones don’t lie. They expose the true dissonance that lies beneath.

The computer portion of the piece is a hybrid of live processing and pre-composed samples. At some points, all three elements (live processing, prerecorded sounds, double bass performance) are combined. Sometimes the double bass is alone. Digital elements linger.

Karma Is a Cruel Mistress for Double Bass and Computer - Demo 2017 08 01

"sudden death" completed in 2018, for double bass and computer.
This is a demo recording, created 18 May 2018.

Program Notes:
Unfortunately, this piece began as a meditative contemplation of the spontaneity of death. It seems to be an inescapable part of our current society, and, rather than be pessimistic, I suppose it’s best to focus on the value of what we have in the moment. For some of us, remaining optimistic is a daily fight.

This is a pensive work about inner thoughts, dread, joy, doubt, inspiration – thoughts that emerge when you zone out amongst daily events. It is a testimonial for the value of these thoughts - the zoning out - and the lack of their existence in our waking life. 

“Sudden Death” has taken many forms. It began as a fixed media piece in 2011, and 2015. I seem to revive the project each time I’m struck with grief for the suddenly dead. 

This is its most complete form. Fixed audio is still present. It is now paired with live processing, namely the capturing of double bass harmonics to create ghastly harmonies that float through the piece. The pitch material is derived from Henry Purcell’s “When I am Laid In Earth” aria from Dido and Aeneas, and is quasi-improvisational. The score suggests the plainchant style of delivery, and should be performed in a pensive and reverent manner.

The Purcell work is not only traditionally paired with Armistice Day (Veterans Day) in November, but it is also a fitting plea for those who suddenly and innocently perish in our current war with ourselves.   “Remember me, but ah, forget my fate.”

Sudden Death for Double Bass and Computer (Demo 18 May 2018)

Southern Cross, for solo percussionist and traditional fixed quadraphonic accompaniment, is a work about journeys, intersections, life changes, and crossroads. Our lifelines constantly create moments of uncertainty and our fates constantly change. My longtime friend and EIU percussion colleague Jamie V. Ryan approached me about writing a work five years ago. At that time, I had just been to Australia and while there I had sketched the foundation for this work. Its famous southern hemisphere constellation was the inspiration behind the work’s design, and serves as an excellent symbol for its literal and implied meaning. 

Two streams of numeric patterns, derived from change-ringing numeric rotations, are overlapped in this work. As they intersect or cross, these patterns create alternating palindromic numeric designs. The soloist is asked to continually interpret these subdivisions in new ways, weaving an evolving texture that is enhanced by the electronic accompaniment. As these numeric combinations interact, we hear downbeats travel through the meter, thereby creating new hypermetric structures that constantly drift and change.

The work is scored for two groups of non-pitched percussion instruments: 6 metal objects and 6 drums. The fixed electronic accompaniment is intended for quadraphonic playback. Throughout the construction of this work, the concept of intersecting lines and crosses remain consistent. The diffusion of sounds within the quadraphonic space also reflects these relationships. 

I am grateful to Jamie V. Ryan for his encouragement and assistance during the long process of composing this work. I am also grateful that our paths have crossed.

Percussion Soloist and Quadrap

Southern Cross for Percussionist and Quadraphonic Sounds

Sudden Death - Demo November, 2018

Performance of Serpentine for Timpanist and Quadraphonic Audio by Andrew Buchanan. Performed March 2015. Recorded by Frank Hoerger, at Smith Memorial Hall, University of Illinois, Urbana.

Serpentine

"Podia" for piano and fixed digital audio. Recorded 2004.

Podia for Piano and Digital Audio

Performance of Serpentine for Timpanist and Quadrahonic Digital Audio by Dr. Andrew Buchanan, March 2015, Smith Memorial Hall, University of Illinois, Urbana. More information about this piece can be found at www.braddecker.org

Serpentine for Timpanist and Quadraphonic Digital Audio

Premiere performance of Ripple by Rebecca Johnson, flute, and Jamie V. Ryan, percussion, Eastern Illinois University, April 14, 2019. For more information or for a score, please visit www.braddecker.org

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