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From the Centre of Freiburg Towards the Outskirts by Tram
Stereo magnetic tape compositionDuration : 5 minutes 12 seconds
This is an electronica work for magnetic tape, or digital playback, to be diffused through a stereo (or multi-channel)
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From the Centre of Freiburg Towards the Outskirts by Tram
(Click here to listen to complete composition)
First performance : Sunday 19th March 1995
pianos, tapes and capricorn! SPNM/Sonic Arts NetworkRoyal College of Music, London SW7
2nd performance : 23 October 1996
Discoveries 96-97Northern College, Aberdeen, Scotland
Original flyer
Original programme notes:
Marion Milner in her books frequently refers to apparently insignificant events or images that are remembered in preference to more important events. Such is the case with this tram journey I made a few times in the early 'eighties. Not only do I remember it as very tranquil but for some reason was fascinated by the way the traffic lights some way behind and ahead of the tram stop changed to stop tatfic in both directions as the tram drew to a halt. Why this is significant I do not know other than the sense of space on an empty road and being near the Black Forest.
For wave form generation I am attracted to eariy digital synthesisers, particularly the earliest Yamaha DX7, which has a unique quality and ability to change texture very slowly. The synthesised sounds are heavily processed, the sound processors being as much part of the sound as the synthesiser and they are programmed together. Somewhere in the process is an analogue stage that completes the digital sound. For me electronic tape music should sound performed but be impossible to perform.