Program Note
Memory Variations for electric guitar and marimba was commissioned by the Liminal Space Contemporary Music Ensemble as part of their 2013–14 New Music Initiative. The concept of the piece took shape after hearing a conversation between author, Nick Flynn and neuroscientist, David Eagleman on the topic of memory. Hearing this talk triggered the idea for this piece.
This piece was a musical experiment using the fallibility of memory as the core concept. The piece has two kinds of music; A and B. These musics alternate throughout the piece. Each music represents a different kind of memory variation.
Music A was written over the period of 3 months. The process was simple. Write about a minute of music. Put it away. Never look at it again until the piece is finished. After three weeks of working on other music or musical distractions, try to write that same minute of music again using nothing but memory. Repeat the process every three weeks by trying to write the previous music. My prediction was that large-scale form and harmonic progressions would remain. The beginning and ending of each variation would probably be quite similar. The journey from beginning to ending in each variation however, would be very different. In a traditional set of variations, the composer composes a simple theme from which more complex and stylistically varied variations are created. In this set, memory (or the lack thereof) is the variation technique. And each variation is an evolution from the previous as opposed to a referring back to the original. Music A consists of four variations.
Music B was written as a complete 3-minute piece that is broken up between the Music A variations. The idea with this material is that memory is employed by the listener. The listener combines the three sections together mentally to form the cohesive music in their mind. This is not unlike keeping track of disparate story lines in a film or television show.
Memory can be problematic. And it is a skill that we lose over time if we do not engage our brain in the task of remembering. How many phone numbers did we used to have memorized? How many song lyrics could we sing “by heart.” In the digital age, memory has been replaced by technology. However, even with a good memory, our brain can change and omit details over time. Memories evolve. And we are left with a memory that may or not be true to reality. Yet, as flawed as the may be, memories are true to our personal reality.
— Robert McClure
This piece was a musical experiment using the fallibility of memory as the core concept. The piece has two kinds of music; A and B. These musics alternate throughout the piece. Each music represents a different kind of memory variation.
Music A was written over the period of 3 months. The process was simple. Write about a minute of music. Put it away. Never look at it again until the piece is finished. After three weeks of working on other music or musical distractions, try to write that same minute of music again using nothing but memory. Repeat the process every three weeks by trying to write the previous music. My prediction was that large-scale form and harmonic progressions would remain. The beginning and ending of each variation would probably be quite similar. The journey from beginning to ending in each variation however, would be very different. In a traditional set of variations, the composer composes a simple theme from which more complex and stylistically varied variations are created. In this set, memory (or the lack thereof) is the variation technique. And each variation is an evolution from the previous as opposed to a referring back to the original. Music A consists of four variations.
Music B was written as a complete 3-minute piece that is broken up between the Music A variations. The idea with this material is that memory is employed by the listener. The listener combines the three sections together mentally to form the cohesive music in their mind. This is not unlike keeping track of disparate story lines in a film or television show.
Memory can be problematic. And it is a skill that we lose over time if we do not engage our brain in the task of remembering. How many phone numbers did we used to have memorized? How many song lyrics could we sing “by heart.” In the digital age, memory has been replaced by technology. However, even with a good memory, our brain can change and omit details over time. Memories evolve. And we are left with a memory that may or not be true to reality. Yet, as flawed as the may be, memories are true to our personal reality.
— Robert McClure
Reproduction Notice:
This program note may be freely reproduced in concert programs, provided that proper credit is given to the composer.
This program note may be freely reproduced in concert programs, provided that proper credit is given to the composer.