SEAMUS

Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States

  • Conferences
    • 2023 Conference, April 7 – 8, NYC
      • SEAMUS 2023 Conference Schedule
        • Student Awards Recipients 2023
      • Discounted HOTELS with SEAMUS2023 Conf rates
        • Conference 2023 Maps
    • 2023 Conference Rhizome Host Events
      • 2023 Call
    • Past Conferences
    • Future Hosts Interest Form
      • How to Host a Conference
  • Opportunities
    • CREATE grants
    • ASCAP/SEAMUS Student Award
      • FAQ
      • Previous Student Award Recipients
    • Allen Strange Memorial Award
    • SEAMUS Award
  • Works
  • News
  • Newsletter
    • Most recent Newsletter
    • Newsletter Archive
  • Members
    • Election 2023
    • Music from SEAMUS
    • Electroacoustic Miniatures Series Downloads
    • Member Directory
      • Edit Profile
    • Membership FAQs
  • About
    • History
    • Officers and Staff
      • Past Presidents
    • Why Join?
    • Inclusion and Diversity
    • Bylaws

Of Dust and Sand

2016-01-09

This piece uses the Electromagnetically-Prepared Piano, a device co-created by the composer. The electromagnets vibrate the piano strings while the performer attempts to manually dampen them. Releasing that damping results in a note.

Composer: Per Bloland

Year of Composition: 2010
Instrumentation: Saxophone, Piano with electromagnets
Type of Electronics: Live

Number of Channels: 2
Duration: 10:00
Video Component: None

Score ResourcesRecording

Of Dust and Sand uses the Electromagnetically-Prepared Piano device, a rack of 12 electromagnets which is suspended over the strings of a piano. Each electromagnet is sent an audio signal and in turn excites its respective string, much like a stereo speaker made from piano strings. In this piece a subset of the magnets remains active throughout, the performer physically silencing the strings by pressing down with fingertips. Thus the instrument becomes a kind of anti-piano – lifting a finger frees a string to vibrate, producing sound. In addition, various items, such as paper and a plastic ruler, rest directly on the strings further altering the timbre. Remember – everything you hear is entirely acoustic.

While working on this piece I was deeply immersed in the novel Doctor Faustus by Thomas Mann. The title is in part drawn from an image that recurs throughout the novel, that of the hourglass of mortality, which Mann in turn drew from the etchings of Albrecht Dürer. The material of the piece is connected with the novel, though in ways so tenuous as to escape relevance.

Of Dust and Sand is dedicated to The Kenners.

(NOTE – the two channels specified above are for optional -but recommended- amplification of the piano and saxophone)

Login to SEAMUS

Join Us!

Membership in SEAMUS is open to all interested parties and brings lots of exciting benefits. Click the button below to join. Click here to renew your membership.
Join Now!

Connect with SEAMUS

  • Email
  • Facebook

© 2023 SEAMUS, All Rights Reserved · Site Design by Punkt Digital · Policy Statements

  • Contact Us
  • Board Officers & Staff
  • Policy Statements