Brent Fariss - shining white air (sh 004)

Net Release Date - February 2006

To achieve desired sound quality,
it is suggested to listen to these recordings at a low volume...

7 prayers for contrabass - for solo contrabass

1st prayer
2nd prayer
3rd prayer
4th prayer
5th prayer
6th prayer
7th prayer

7 prayers for contrabass is an exploration of the microsounds of the instrument. The piece is performed live with no processing or overdubbing....only the fingers, the bass, and the bow. The creation of this piece happened during a recent bout with tendonitus. I have always had a love/hate relationship with playing the instrument, often wishing that I would not be able to play. When faced with the reality of this, I realized how valuable the instrument was to me as an extension of myself. So, in addition to everything else…the piece is a tribute to my beat up, old Engelheart…with love…

Dedicated to Jason Cooper.
Brent Fariss - contrabass

shining white air - for flute, oboe, bass clarient, soprano saxophone, bassoon, trombone, vibraphone, and resonance

shining white air is loosely based off the combination of partials relating to the overtone series. Harmonic resonators, granular manipulation, and captured live samples are used via Kyma (a real-time processing environment) to react to and alter the sounds of the acoustic instruments, creating combination tones or timbral variations. Extra special thanks to William Meadows for all his hard work, creative input, and allowing me the opportunity to collaborate with him. - gbf

"Shining White Air featured brass, winds, a vibraphone and live electronic processing in a presentation by composer Brent Fariss. This meditative, slow piece began with a play on the harmonies and textures found within the instruments. The tension in the ensemble came not from what was played, but what was not, until the sound broke. Then the agitated harmonies erupted into new directions, but found a sort of resolve and were calmed. The vibraphone was both struck and bowed and the listener was deposited into a new, eerie realm at the end. " - Kerry Payne, Rank and Review Magazine

Callie Shelton - flute
Jacob Green - oboe
Derrick Fore - bass clarinet
Holland Hopson - soprano saxophone
Keith Manlove - bassoon
Nick Smith - trombone
Sarah Norris - vibraphone
William Meadows - live electronics (Kyma) / engineer

Download Score (pdf)

Analysis of the Rose (as Sentimental Despair) - for two euphoniums

I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.

Analysis of the Rose as Sentimental Despair is based on the set of 5 paintings by Cy Twombly. The piece derives its sound and overall structure directly from the paintings. Each movement represents a painting, colors are represented musically by specified pitches, length by size, development by motion, etc... Scored for 2 low-brass instruments, the music is very minimal, focusing on the micro-sounds of the instrument. Special thanks to Harvey, Raul, and Clark for all their help in performing and recording this work.

Harvey Davidson - euphonium
Raul Moreno Escobar - euphonium

Engineered by Clark D. Crawford at the Harten Center for Underprivileged Sounds.

Download Score (pdf)

painting by Cy Twombly
Untitled
(Analysis of the Rose as Sentimental Despair)
panel V of V