Blindwriting

Both pieces build on transformations of braille into sound and grew partly out of a simple delight in the visual patterns of this form of writing and a curiosity as to where they could lead musically. Blindwriting is built entirely on a single (undisclosed) text which unfolds over 83 minutes in a wave of gradual tempo fluctuations.

On another level working on these pieces led me to reflect on blindness as a psychic as well as physical condition: Eyes shut in fear or hate are also a form of blindness. One could however also see a positive side to not being able to see – a state that requires an attitude of openness and listening, both to the world around us and within us – of being able to discern an intuitive inner voice when we can’t see the way ahead.

Blindwriting consists of 3 layers which gradually increase and decrease in intensity in independent cycles over 83 minutes of its duration. The changes in focus that result are further intensified by walking around the space (as was the case in the handheld recording) and moving closer or farther away from the loudspeakers. In addition to this one can also hear the controlled feedback tones of Nic Collins’ Pea Soup installation which preceeded Blindwriting and was also blended in with it at certain points.

The recorded excerpt begins approximately halfway through the installation and just outside the door of the chapel before moving into and around the inner space of the building. In addition to the main loudspeakers placed in each corner of the room small loudspeakers were also placed on the floor – a small scale acousmonium (or in this case Sebastionium) specifically set up by Gary Berger for one of the pieces on the concert program that followed – but also used in the installation.

SCORE

Score PDF

FURTHER INFORMATION

Concert Program PDF