I'm intrigued by the glitch-art technique of pixel-sorting and other creative misuses of sorting algorithms.  These algorithms were ostensibly created for rationalization and organization, but in the wrong (or right?) hands, they are capable of just the opposite.  Curiously, many sorting works simultaneously erode the original identity of their object while revealing other aspects of that object through the observers flouted expectations.  A variety of sorting works abound, including Cy Kuckenbaker's sort of San Diego traffic and Peter Harkins' Well-Sorted Version of the King James Bible.

I decided to try my hand at sorting all of the events (single tones, dyads, or chords) in Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 8 (Sonata Pathétique), movement 1, by their three lowest notes.  This MIDI-sort was accomplished in more programs that I'm willing to admit, but most of the work was done in Pure Data, and playback was done in Reason.  The relative durations of the chords are retained, but there is a global acceleration, and the tempo accelerates over time on each new bass pitch.  The frenetic result is unmistakably Beethoven's sonata, but infused with a little black-MIDI spice.

Beethoven, Sonata Pathétique MIDI-Sort

13 Note To Self MKMSTRV1 (2448)

12 Bailing From Heart MKMSTRV1 (2448)

11 Take Your Sorry Ass Home MKMSTRV1 (2448)

10 Interlude 2 MKMSTRV1 (2448)

09 Letter To A Friend MKMSTRV1 (2448)

08 Stupid Things MKMSTRV1 (2448)

06 More Than Friends MKMSTRV1 (2448)

05 Looming (Interlude 1) MKMSTRV1 (2448)

04 Don’t Look Too Far MKMSTRV1 (2448)

02 Purgatory MKMSTRV1 (2448)

Beethoven, Sonata Pathétique MIDI-Sort

Paul Hembree | composer

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