...gathering knowledge for the arts.
This is a story of quest, faith and endurance...the question of life and nature and how "human" fits into the "natural order." It appears clear that while some are trying to solve the problems we face, others are destroying the efforts that would help to achieve solutions. Harmonic Dream expresses the fervor and rekindling of spirit required to answer this quest. Written in three movements, Visions, Muse and Hope, the sound sources used to compose the piece are recorded from various "inharmonic" sound objects that Sofia created physically or from nature. "To me the sound objects are like Actors in a play, the gesture of a sound is like a Recitativo and the sound-scape is like the Aria. There is also Oratorio used as Opera and for dramatic effect."
(Sal Sofia) SASP (ASCAP)
Sal Sofia, computer synthesis programming, sound design,
signal, images and movie processing. Recorded live
percussion performing.
(Sal Sofia) SASP (ASCAP)
Sal Sofia, computer synthesis programming, sound design,
signal, images and movie processing. Recorded live
percussion performing.
(Sal Sofia) SASP (ASCAP)
Sal Sofia, computer synthesis programming, sound design,
signal, images and movie processing. Recorded live
percussion performing.
To discuss this composition we need to give some background as to why and how
the composition has evolved to its present audio and video output.
It began as "The Shroud," having heard many years ago that people may have discovered the shroud that Jesus Christ was buried in was big, traumatic news for Christianity and the world, and me. Of course, due to carbon dating science cast doubt on its authenticity but the story surrounding the survival of this particular piece of cloth was just as astounding as the claim itself, and one based on the strong faith of the many people involved. Their stories are the inspiration for this piece.
However, while composing "The Shroud," their stories of quest, faith and endurance became (paralleled) my story. I repeatedly asked myself (as if looking at myself outside myself as in a dream), that at this stage in my life, why was I questioning life and nature, how I fit into the scheme of the natural order of things and what do I do that contributes something to the world. Looking into my life, I seem even to myself to be Inquisitive about the whole world and Concerned about what harm we are doing to our planet Earth. It also appeared clear to me, that while some of us are trying to solve some of the problems that we have, others are destroying the efforts that would help to achieve solutions to some of these problems. Fueled with these feelings, I continued writing the composition using the material which I collected for the Shroud. Nevertheless, the composition took on a larger meaning than the interpretation of the facts surrounding the discovery of the Shroud. I was not trying to convince the world of the verity of the Shroud of Torino, as that is a personal matter and one based on faith, but rather I wished to express the fervor and rekindling of spirit that is beyond the message of the icon. And, after the composition was finished, I decided to name the composition with a new title, Harmonic Dream.
Harmonic Dream is written in Three Movements each one developed complete in itself and yet as the whole composition works as one. The First Movement, Visions, is 12 minutes; the Second Movement, Muse, is 16 minutes; and the Third Movement, entitled Hope, lasts 14 minutes. All of these titles are self descriptors.
The sound sources used to compose Harmonic Dream are recorded from various sound objects that I created physically or from nature. For example, for one recorded sound source I played mallets on a truck bed, another is free flowing rushing water surround within ambient valley echo, sampled words "nel buio" ("in the dark"), and so on. The sound objects are first chosen for their quality and for what they suggest compositionally and second, they are then built to create gestures and sound-scapes particularly important for the section where they need to be implemented. The main computer music compositional tool I use is Csound with which I transform a sound object into a more complex sound by adding to it some particular function(s) which modify and/or combine its parameters. As an Artist Composer I use Csound as my instrument for shaping the sound that I hear in my mind. To me the sound objects are like Actors in a play, the gesture of a sound is like a Recitativo and the sound-scape is like the Aria. Oratorio is used as Opera and for dramatic effect.