I recently upgraded my soundcard at home and have been experimenting with multitracked recordings of various pieces. It's an interesting question to me whether a multitracked recording can really recreate the energy and verve of some live performances. The world of popular music seems to have pushed music technology on to such an extent that it is an integral part of the art form. Classical music has lagged behind in many ways, not wanting to be corrupted by the autotune aberration or similar technological treachery. Is it acceptable to use extensive audio editing to improve your work? Probably, but it feels less acceptable to release a dazzling recording which has no hope of being reproduced in a live setting. When I was young I absolutely loved a Los Angeles based band, whose recordings I listened to endlessly. I knew every nuance of the albums, but when I later heard a live broadcast, I was shocked by the clumsy, out of tune mess I experienced. Some artists such as Jacob Collier seem to have done a far better job of recreating extremely dense multitracked arrangements as a one man show. Composer Anna Clyne has an exquisite recording 'Blue Moth', which is sonically astounding, with a variety of very different pieces including the apocalyptic 'Choke' for Baritone Saxophone and tape. When performing this piece, I've found that the potency of the tape part allows one to simply float (and scream) over the top of it with ease. There's a buoyancy to the music which isn't always present in those sort of pieces. I love the Stockhausen tape pieces and their utter disorientation (perhaps there's much more logic and structure than I realise), but I also recall a piece for turntables and orchestra which failed utterly because the speakers from which all of the turntables' contribution could be heard were placed 25 feet higher than the orchestra. The piece seemed like a collection of disparate elements cobbled together and really didn't work. That and I seem to recall the most cliched saxophone multiphonic around bleating out through it all. Maybe I'll witter on about multiphonics another time. On the subject, some of the Lauba studies are entrancing as live pieces but fall utterly flat as recordings unless you're listening very intently on a good system with no distractions. Anyway, I shall continue to experiment and upload anything I feel is worth a listen.
I am honoured and excited to begin a new job teaching at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama junior department from January 2018. Some of my most enjoyable work in recent years has been working in conservatoires and I am fascinated to get involved with the what's happening in Cardiff.
Much as I have very mixed feelings about social media, I do in fact have a neglected YouTube channel where you can hear my music. Here is one baritone improvisation piece to listen to.
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June 2022
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