Brain Gas [Quartet: 06/04/18]

Instrumentation: four players, open instrumentation

Duration: ca. 15′

Program note:

The Brain Gas score-building project is an ongoing series of compositions in which pieces can be constructed using composer-provided tools placed in unique arrangements. Each Brain Gas piece is to be written for a set number of instruments and for a designated performance date (for which the subtitled is named (i.e. Quartet:06/04/18). The pieces can, of course, be performed subsequently after the initial date of premiere.

This score is designed to be constructed beforehand by the composer as a unique arrangement of pre-composed graphic, text, and conventional notations. In essence, one chooses from a set of compositional tools to create his or her own score, so that each arrangement is assigned as a new composition (or, as may be interpreted, a version/movement/subset/iteration) within a series. A template (“field”) is provided on which to place blocks (“cells”) of graphic notation. Colored areas are also provided in which to assign a set of motives (“inserts”) for players to play.

The score uses a mixture of graphic notation, text instructions, and conventional music notation. These elements are combined to create a version of the score that may be unique to a specific performance (and designated therein by the number of performers and date of that specific performance) or may be interpreted differently in different performances.