Vinyl

Description

Flute, Oboe, Clarinet in Bb, Bass Clarinet, Contrabassoon, Horn in F, Trumpet in C, Bass Trombone, Percussion 1, Bass Drum, Vibraphone, Percussion 2, Vibraphone, Piano, Violin 1, Violin 2, Viola, Cello, Double Bass — All recorded music is altered by the medium of its delivery. Most cassette tapes restrict high frequencies and digital mp3 files compress the original audio to its bare essentials. This piece is built around the peculiar alterations associated with vinyl records. The opening music jumps quickly between a variety of sounds, imitating the skipping that occurs when a needle is knocked out of a groove. Much of this material also includes small pitch fluctuations that imitate the sound of a warped vinyl. Later in the piece, the tempo and pitch both steadily increase during a long build as if the speed dial were being slowly changed from the setting for a 33 rpm vinyl to a 45 rpm. And finally, at the climax of the piece, the strings and woodwinds resonate strongly with a few fluctuations in energy, while the brass play at extreme volumes to represent the artifacts and distortion associated with a worn record or dull stylus.