CAPTCHA for Baritone and Piano
Duration: 16'
Text by CAPTCHA
Performers: American Modern Ensemble, Jesse Blumberg, baritone; Blair McMillen, piano
Publisher: Bill Holab Music: http://www.billholabmusic.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1473
Online Perusal Score: https://issuu.com/robertpaterson/docs/paterson_captcha_perusal
For More Information: https://robertpaterson.com/captcha-baritone-version

PROGRAM NOTES
CAPTCHA originated with an assignment I was given as a participant in the American Opera Projects (AOP) Composers & The Voice program. Throughout the year, we wrote a variety of arias and songs and were given various "challenges." Some of the challenges included using no more than four lines of text, using found text, using prose, and also trying to avoid the passagio (a term used in classical singing to describe where different voice ranges cross over, for example, where the chest voice and head voice cross). I neglected to incorporate any of the challenges into previous pieces, and I only had one song or aria left, so I had to incorporate all of the remaining challenges into a single piece.

For found text, I decided to use CAPTCHA texts. The term CAPTCHA (for Completely Automated Public Turing Test To Tell Computers and Humans Apart) was coined in 2000 by scientists at Carnegie Mellon University. A CAPTCHA is a program that protects websites against bots by generating and grading tests that only humans can pass. For example, humans can read distorted text presented as a graphic, but current computer programs cannot. To find interesting words and phrases, I spent many tedious hours in front of my computer loading CAPTCHA texts. Actually, what I ended using are reCAPTCHA texts, which are derived from a free version of CAPTCHA that uses combinations of real words from scanned books that need human confirmation and gibberish text.

I initially wrote one song entitled CAPTCHA, but later decided to compose an entire song cycle that incorporates the original song. Each songs uses a few key words (the few that are actually real words and phrases) as a springboard. I attempt to phonetically interpret the other words and phrases that don’t make sense, infusing emotion where none exists. Ultimately, my goal is to create an emotionally moving experience, despite the nonsensical nature of the words.

Winter Songs

CAPTCHA - IV. voix Gustroor

Not Letting You Go

Ladders

I produced this track for this clip: https://youtu.be/bbz0pdShX2g

Through the Alps

Rest Your Soul

Big Kick (very old song)

Written and performed by Stefano Colleoni

https://songwhip.com/stefanocolleoni/the-silk-road

The Silk Road

Written: 2019
Duration: ca. 12'
Instrumentation: flute (doubling piccolo), oboe (doubling English horn), clarinet (doubling bass clarinet), and piano (pianist plays from score)
Commissioned by the Exponential Ensemble, with funding from the New York State Council on The Arts (NYSCA)
World Premiere: Exponential Ensemble, Opera America, Marc A. Scorca Hall, New York, NY, October 30, 2019

MOVEMENTS
I. Pascal’s Triangle
II. Noether’s Theorem
III. Einstein’s Daydream
IV. The Hammers of Pythagoras

PROGRAM NOTE
Relative Theory is a four-movement, ca. 12 minute work for flute (doubling piccolo), oboe (doubling English horn), clarinet (doubling bass clarinet), and piano. Each movement is inspired by a mathematician or theoretical physicist. I was inspired by a story that the commissioning ensemble, the Exponential Ensemble, told me about how much they enjoy performing programs for children that relate math to music. In a fun, yet hopefully meaningful way, the movements of my piece are designed to draw parallels between these two distinct, but interrelated worlds.

The title Relative Theory is a play on words: it loosely refers to Albert Einstein’s famous Special Theory of Relativity, but also to musical theories and theoretical principals that are used between each of the movements. All of these movements are inspired by mathematicians or theoretical physicists, and their theorems and theories inspire the music itself.

In Pascal’s Triangle, triads and intervallic content are structured so as to use binomial coefficients in musical ways. In Noether’s Theorem, the music mirrors her theorem, which states that every differentiable symmetry of the action of a physical system has a corresponding conservation law. Einstein’s Daydream, perhaps the most fanciful movement, quotes a few themes from Beethoven, J.S. Bach and Mozart, three composers who’s music Einstein loved to play on his violin. The work ends with a movement entitled The Hammers of Pythagoras, inspired by a legendary, apocryphal but nevertheless playful tale of Pythagoras passing by a blacksmith at work one day, and discovering that musical notes could be translated into mathematical equations.

There are some fascinating programmatic relations that dictate how thematic materials are used in various movements. Albert Einstein thought very highly of Emmy Noether, a mathematician who never achieved the fame she deserved because she was female. In fact, some of her theories inspired Einstein. Therefore, some of the themes in the second movement are used in the third. Einstein and Pythagoras both figure prominently in music history, albeit for different reasons, so themes from each of these movements permeate back and forth.

Relative Theory was commissioned by the Exponential Ensemble, with funding from the New York State Council on The Arts (NYSCA).

LINKS
https://www.exponentialensemble.com/
https://www.robpaterson.com/
https://robertpaterson.com/relative-theory

EXPONENTIAL ENSEMBLE
Anna Urrey, flute
Kemp Jernigan, oboe
Pascal Archer, clarinet
Geoffrey Burleson, guest pianist

Relative Theory - IV. The Hammers Of Pythagoras

Breath the Sky

Breathe The Sky

Something pretty special happened here. I accessed a very vulnerable space in my mind I've never been to before. And now I can't wait to go back!

A HUGE thank you to Dan Phillipson for making one of the most beautiful musical pieces I've heard in my entire life. And for letting me sing along! Anyone interested in buying instrumentals that are chalk full of emotion check him out here! 

https://www.premiumbeat.com/artist/dan-phillipson

(c) 1998
Guitar, Composing, Programming, mixing, producing and mastering by Robert Grigg

A Fall Night

Forgiveness can mean many things, but true forgiveness is releasing the feelings of vengeance and resentment towards a person. Justice can also have multiple meanings, but true justice means when an offender repents on their wrongdoings and reconciles with their victims.

Forgiveness and Restorative Justice provide a means for Reconciliation, and for Peace.

Though it may seem hard to allow for such a process to occur between us and in us for past wrongdoings, it allows for the future to remain free of Bitterness and Hostilities.

It allows us to clear out the Baggage, to realize we've all made Mistakes, and to find Joy in the time that Remains. 

It allows Love, Hope and Faith to build up a place in our Hearts again, it lightens the load, it restores wellbeing and strength in Spirit to not just get through the day but to live in it. 

To receive soundness in our minds so we can abide in the time spent with those closest to us, rather than in spite of our miseries.

It may take a little soul searching, but as you get the stream flowing you come to find that some spring cleaning is all we need to feel Peace again.

There's a lot beneath the surface but nothing that the current can't wash away.

There's a bright new day waiting once we're ready for it.

To make change from settling the score to forgiving the difference. 

From what we desired to what happened instead. 

To seeing that it may not always go our way but we can find restitution if we be still and trust in God's plan.

Why

KAM