INVENTIONS (2016)
40'
clavichord(s) on cassette tape
in collaboration with Mabel Kwan
on Parlour Tapes+ (PT+008)
An album-length examination of the clavichord and its universe of mechanical, tactile, and (barely) audible attributes. The soft-spoken keyboard instrument is exploded into microscopic fragments that are reconstructed to form a series of sonic habitats for the listener to live in. To create this work, I made a library of notated "items" organized by sonic category (keyboard sounds, interior sounds, etc.) which were then interpreted and recorded by keyboardist Mabel Kwan. These items were layered and collaged to assemble compositions called builds. The work was released as a cassette tape designed to resemble a miniature clavichord. Side A consists of eight builds made from unaltered clavichord recordings, while Side B consists of one sprawling 20-minute build that utilizes clavichord recorded onto cassette loops. A tenth "build" was made for live clavichord and four pre-recorded clavichord tapes and premiered at the album release party.