Performance by Ben Hoadley. Curated by Judy Millar for Auckland Art Gallery.
A short composition for bassoon and FX pedals.
The Effect of Bundled Sticks on Sound
Programme Note:
“if something has an interesting enough sound, you don’t have to play as much on the instrument … the sound takes over… [It’s] part of the composition.” – Marcus Miller
This piece was originally written as a sonic exploration of the bassoon – but to move beyond the repertoire for acoustic solo bassoon, and to extend the sound world of the instrument by including a microphone and FX pedals. The main motif is constructed from two fragments: a rising tone, and a falling 7th then 6th . These fragments are rearranged, reversed, stretched and manipulated throughout the piece. Also, of particular interest to the listener, the influence of funk and blues music should be quite clear throughout the piece. But at its essence this piece is an exploration of sound.