Eric Chasalow
Out of Joint
for Trumpet and Tape (1994)
Out of Joint
for Trumpet and Tape (1994)
Duration 5:20
Program Notes
Out of Joint (1994) was composed for the Festival Nuova Consonanza in Rome. Much of my music owes a debt to my love of jazz and the rhythmic drive and choice of materials in this piece are derived from the jazz tradition. I am interested in the energy of improvisation, not the indeterminacy; so while my music is often quite fast and contrapuntal it is always completely notated.
With Out of Joint, I had the opportunity to write for a traditional jazz instrument. As I wrote the piece, I had in mind some of the great recordings by Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, and Chet Baker. The spacious, slow middle section with harmon mute is a meditation on Miles and Gil Evans, Sketches of Spain. The tape part for this piece was produced in the Brandeis Electro-Acoustic Music Studio (BEAMS).
A recording of the piece, performed by Keith Benjamin, appears on the 2003 CD, Left to His Own Devices, New World Records 80601.
Performance Notes
Accidentals do not carry through the bar. They refer only to the note they precede, except in cases of immediate repetition, where, for example C#,C,C would mean C#,C#,C# (even with intervening rests). Cautionary accidentals have been added (in parenthesis) for clarity.
In concert, both the quality and positioning of the playback system are very important. Time in rehearsal should be devoted to balancing the volume and timbre and to positioning. Loudspeakers should be capable of reproducing the full audible frequency spectrum and use of a subwoofer is ideal. While multiple speakers beyond a single stereo pair may be used, at least one pair must be positioned on stage, very close to the performer to create an ensemble sound. Any sound coming from remote speakers should be at a lower volume than the main, stage pair. If on-stage speakers are not possible, a microphone or pickup on the instrument is essential to properly mix the prerecorded and live sound.
q = 120 Deliberate, a fanfare