	In Greek mythology, Khaos was the primordial state of existence from which the gods emerged. The first born of these was Erebus, the embodiment of the primordial shadow from which order was eventually born. Over the course of time, Erebus began to be seen as a sort of antechamber to Hades rather than a deity, eventually becoming a synonym for the land of the dead. Within this work, I have attempted to create this idea in sound over the course of the four movements, highlighting various aspects of the evolution of this mythology.
	Insect Noises begins with the computer relegated to a supporting role as a drone, symbolizing the essential nothingness of the primordial state. Over this, the saxophones take on the dominant role, creating chaotic and distorted sounds interspersed with solo lines and a brief chorale in measure 50. The saxophones then continue in a slightly less distorted manner, employing a greater number of multiphonics before a brief coda that recalls the amorphous introduction.
	Wasteland reverses the roles of the quartet and the computer from the previous movement. Now the dominant voice, the computer moves from a desolate cloud of sound into a pointed, if arrhythmic, sequence of plucked string timbres created from a synthesis of guitar, mandolin, banjo, and koto. As the movement continues, this section grows to a point before tapering off into a large-scale formal decay, ending with a return to the opening sections formless expansion, and concluding with a figure of repeated vocal sounds.
	Ghost Winds is a slow rhapsody for both the computer and the saxophones, creating a pas de deux that briefly flirts with synchronicity through the ascending lines of grace notes that meld around the instrumental lines. As the movement progresses, the individual saxophones gradually begin to emulate the computer, creating an ever increasing amount of complex counterpoint.
	Electric Night concludes the work by bringing the computer and the quartet into true synchronization, symbolizing the emergence of order from chaos. The computer and quartet gradually become more and more similar, culminating in the central chorale, before a recapitulation of the “blazing” tempo used in the beginning. In this final section the quartet and the computer continue to play off of the other’s part, ending the piece in a massive crescendo of rapid notes and multiphonics. 

Erebus (LIVE) - H2 Saxophone Quartet

Malleability is a piece about physical manipulation. From the recording of the source sounds (small pieces of metal, clothespins, a rubber band, a metal bowl, and isolated instruments), to the electronic sounds (sine waves generated on a touch controller), to the mixing (mapped MIDI controller and joysticks), everything is created and placed by hand. As the piece progresses, the sounds are shaped and warped using more “hands on” control, gradually forming into larger structures of sound and blurring the lines of their sources before merging into sine waves. In a similar manner to sculpting clay, shapes form and reform throughout, giving way to more and more refined forms.

Malleability

Curvilinear Space is a study in the diffusion of sound in three-dimensional space, inspired by one of it’s source sounds, a manual iron spice grinder. A smaller bowl is placed inside a larger one, and the abrasive surfaces on the outside of the smaller bowl and inside of the larger bowl quickly grind spices into a fine powder, while also creating an interesting sound. The motions of the hand grinding were the primary idea for how to pan the sounds within space; first mimicking the motion, but then gradually defining a curved space as the sonic particles envelop the listener. This space morphs and changes as the piece progresses, bringing sounds in and out of focus around the listener.

Curvilinear Space

Loosely based on Algernon Blackwood’s novella, "The Wendigo," which is itself based on the mythology of the Great Lakes and First Nations Natives, this is a multichannel depiction of being hunted by a malevolent, but unseen presence in the cold wastes of the North. In the original mythology, the wendigo is at times described as a giant, gaunt, bloody-lipped figure with a heart of ice whose presence is preceded by an unnatural chill and foul stench. As it fed, exclusively on human flesh, it would grow in proportion to the meal it had consumed so it could never be sated. It’s an avatar of greed, gluttony, and cannibalism strongly associated with the privation of winter and the lengths that some isolated people would go to for the sake of survival. In Blackwood’s adaptation (and later, in August Derleth’s), the wendigo becomes an unseen presence that stalks its victims in the wilds of the North away from the safety of their camps. It constantly calls to them as they attempt to run from it, until eventually it catches up to them, carrying them off in the wind. 

This chase through the frozen landscape is what is depicted here, layering samples of myself running with synthesized and manipulated sounds to recreate Blackwood’s tale.

Wendigo Étude (Stereo Mixdown)

Binaural Mix - headphones are required. 

"Blue Echoes Reflected" was conceived as a fully interactive piece that explores exactly how far I can push my technique as a performer. Using the full extent of the mandolin’s range, it’s basically an extended solo that’s been heavily influenced by heavy metal guitar techniques and pedalboards, but it’s also fully interactive. Using MaxMSP and the PnP library, the computer is listening for timbral cues; for example, which string is being played in addition to the pitch and volume to create and spatialize the effects. Spatialization is mapped to IRCAM’s SPAT5 library, positioning different effects around the audience based on these timbral traits, as well as the position in the score. 

The title is a reference to my earliest experiments when prototyping the Max patch and the rippling effect of harmonics with delays and reverb against a frozen background harmonic.

Blue Echoes Reflected

Blue Echoes Reflected (Binaural)

Binaural Mix - headphones are required.

Spider web, late autumn;
Jeweled strands of frost and silk
Catch the falling leaves.

Web (Binaural)

Bach's "Chaconne" from Partita No. 2 in d minor, played on mandolin (a 1915 Gibson F4) by Ben Fuhrman as recorded by the MUS 201 students at Mott Community College. Mics used were two AKG C214's and a DPA 4099. Presented without any major edits.

Bach Chaconne (Mandolin)

Recursion (for S) was commissioned by clarinetist Will Cicola, who was looking for new pieces that explored both quarter tones, and computers. The piece was created by taking extremely high res samples of Will's bass clarinet (176.4kHz, 24Bit), and using those as the basis for spectral processing and computer transformations that would generate all of the computer material with the exception of the delay line. Spectrums were edited, samples were processed, and instruments were programmed to create the dreamlike texture of the computer as the bass clarinet floats on the surface. Yet, in the end, all that the audience is really hearing is the bass clarinet. Just in a multiplicity of ways that support the live performer as they come full circle through the instrument, the piece, and the computer. 

Recursion (for S)(LIVE) - Andrea Cheeseman, Bass Clarinet

One of the perks of living in Bozeman, MT, is that I get a great view of the sun rising and illuminating the Bridger mountain range on my way into town every morning. It’s simply breathtaking to watch the sun crest the range, and watch a sliver of light appear over the ridgeline, splitting the view to the east as the mountains seem to rise to the sky. 

Since moving to Bozeman, I’ve also been very involved in the local Bluegrass scene. As a result, the sound of the live synthesizer part is heavily influenced by the sound of string instruments. It’s an eight -voice synth in eight parts, with each part generating fifteen harmonics (for a total of 960 oscillators!) with frequency and amplitude deviation of each harmonic to keep things interesting. The various parts are then tuned similar to an Appalachian (mountain) dulcimer, allowing for I-IV-VII and I-V-VII tunings, with string volume and presence controlled by TouchOSC, while the synth is played with a Haute Pro hitbox controller, set up with “harmonica tuning” (diatonic C scale, with a button to transpose everything to C#). 

Combined with sounds recorded in the mountains (a stream on the Hyalite Lake trail and stones from Black Mountain), this is a short sonic depiction of dawn in the mountains. 

Mountain Rise

Elegy is equal parts therapy and memorial. Instead of the complicated metric shifts, microtonal scales, and heavy computer processing I normally use; the focus here is simplicity through the use of simple meters, tonality, and only a spectral shimmering from the computer. The resulting piece is a simple and unadorned look at grief, both personal and observed – by far the most introverted and emotionally bare piece I've ever composed. 

Elegy (LIVE) - Mary Kothman, Violin; Katrin Meidell, Viola

Inspired by my re-reading of T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land, …a handful of dust takes the famous line “I will show you fear in a handful of dust” literally and figuratively as a point of departure. Created using extremely short bursts of noise and pitches from an analog synthesizer, these sources are then processed into clouds of sonic material. These dry and dusty swarms of particles swirl and flow around the listener as both literal dust, and an examination of both the passage of time and fear of death, and the impending dissolution of a relationship due to trivial bickering envisaged in the poem. As the piece progresses these different roles come to the forefront, asking the listener to reinterpret the title in light of these different interpretations.

...a handful of dust

Six of JS Bach's Two-Part Inventions arranged for two mandolins and performed by Ben Fuhrman. Recorded as part of the final exam by Mott Community College's MAET 271 (Music Recording) class. 

Inventions 1 and 4 were recorded by group 1.
Inventions 8 and 13 were recorded by group 2.
Inventions 14 and 15 were recorded by group 3.

Invention No. 13 In a

Invention No. 4 In d

Invention No. 1 In C

As a composer, it’s rare to have a chance to write for the organ. It’s also a slightly terrifying prospect as it’s generally not covered in orchestration courses and the range of stops available can offer a range of timbres equivalent to an entire orchestra. In essence, it’s like a foreign language for composers – confusing at first, but capable of subtlety and nuance in new and unconsidered ways. 

So, that’s how I decided to approach writing for it. 

Xenoglosssia is the paranormal phenomena in which a person manifests an ability to speak and write in a language that they do not know, and cannot have acquired through normal study. Similar to if I were suddenly struck by lightning and then able to write Sumerian, I dove into writing for the organ, as if it were a newly acquired language. To do this, I ignored conventional ideas of melody, harmony, and rhythm to focus on creating drones, fluid lines, and masses of sounds. In keeping with the idea of manifesting a new language, I chose to focus the outer sections of the piece on different forms and permutations of the Ethiopian Batti scale [G, B, C, D, F, F#]. These weave in and out over a drone, changing and shifting in a mostly unmetered exposition before coming to rest. The central section takes the pitch set compliments of the Batti scale as it’s basis, focusing on masses of sounds and their expansions before returning to the fluid material from the beginning.

Recorded on the LeTourneau organ at First Baptist Church in Kalamazoo, MI. Graeme Shields, organist.

Xenoglossia

Miasmatic Patterns was written at the request of Jon Fielder for his modular synthesizer remix project. Fortunately, this corresponded perfectly with my university’s break, giving me a chance to actually compose a piece mid-semester; a very rare occurrence, and one that I was determined to jump at given that the last 12 months have been extremely unproductive. The combination of teaching entirely online, a complete cancellation of all performances and conferences, and the lack of in person interactions due to COVID has been extremely draining and hindering to my ability to compose. 

So, armed with time off, a self-imposed deadline of “get it done by the end of the week,” a copy of the Oblique Strategies, and enough coffee to induce tachycardia in a pachyderm, I sat down in front of the modular synth. 

One of the more interesting and intimidating things about the modular synth is that it can’t save presets. Anything you do has to be recorded and committed to because you can’t go back and make changes. With that in mind, I grabbed a suggestion from the Oblique Strategies (“Remember those quiet evenings”) and started mapping out a piece. I started patching to create some interesting drones controlled by LFOs clocked to different speeds and recorded them as a background idea. The choice to pitch them as an F#°7 chord with different phases for every note seemed to fit both the Strategies suggestion, and the general feeling of being fatigued by the COVID pandemic. From there, I added chaotic sources (a WoggleBug using the ring modulator output, and a René sequencer with two unrelated clocks and a lot of jitter) to create some randomized pulses and pitches. Finally, after another repatch, I committed to constructing treble and bass parts played on a Linnstrument connected to the synth. 

The resulting piece is an extended meditation on the continuing COVID pandemic and the extreme mental fatigue that it has created. I’m not offering any solutions or hopes, this is simply an exploration of my own perspective in the moment. 

Link to my synth on Modular Grid for the curious - https://www.modulargrid.net/e/racks/view/620498

Miasmatic Patterns

Ben Fuhrman, is a composer, musician, programmer, and coffee aficionado. As a result, he writes music with a focus on technology, including acousmatic, interactive, and improvisatory works. His degrees are from Michigan State University (D.M.A and M.M in composition), and Hope College (B.Mus in violin performance). His teachers include Ricardo Lorenz, Mark Sullivan, Steve Talaga, Rob Lunn, and Mihai Craioveanu. 

He has had works commissioned from a number of performers, including Keith Kirchoff, Drake Dantzler, Violet, Jeffrey Loeffert, Nathan Boggert, the H2 Quartet, the East Lansing High School Orchestra, REACH Studio Art, and the MSU National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory and Facility for Rare Isotope Beams, and has been performed throughout the world. He was also the recipient of a billboard dedicated to his music from the Arts Council of Greater Lansing – possibly the first composer in the US to receive one. His solo albums Concrete Oasis and Synthesizer and Computer Works are available online, among others on the Albany Records, Argali Records, Blue Griffin, Elmstreet, and SEAMUS labels.

He maintains an active role as a performer and as assistant professor of music technology at Montana State University, and has previously taught at Oakland University and Mott Community College. For more information, check out www.benfuhrman.com

bfuhrman

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