HUM 2  (2000) for Abbie Conant 7:00  1/6/2000

Program notes by Maggi Payne

When writing this multi-track work for trombone I could not help but to

see the tie-ins to my work of 27 years prior, HUM.  That work is scored

for one live flutist and six taped flute parts (although it could be

performed live with seven performers).  HUM 2  is scored for one live

trombone plus seven taped parts, although it, too, could be performed live

with 8 trombones.  The piece deals with expansion/contraction and involves

spatial deployment over eight or four speakers.  Ideally one should not be

able to distinguish the live performer from the taped parts.  The piece

takes advantage of this surround capability with sounds traveling around,

through, and across the space (all built into scoring of the piece), with

many instances of extended techniques and delicate pitch alterations (of

2-7 Hz).  If the listener is in a good listening position, the space

should contract -- to appear to come very close (as all 8 trombones get very

loud) and expand outward (as all 8 trombones get very soft).  The

expansion/contraction also takes place in the frequency domain as pitches

converge and diverge and in the amplitude domain with an extreme dynamic

range. This work is virtuosic and I composed the work for the trombonist,

Abbie Conant, whose superb capabilities are explored in the work. 

Maggi's website is here.