Cycle

A DVD film resulting in the recording '12 Sculptures For Re Cycling Piano Harmonics'.

Details of the film can be found at mutantfilm .

Cycle has been screened at a number of international film festivals and galleries, including Whitechapel Art Gallery,Leeds International Film Festival and the ICA in London.

Marvin Ayres on Cycle

"I wanted to compose something that mimicked nature, as Cycle was originally conceived as a score for a DVD surround sound film installation, combining natural plant images with artificial life sequences.

I decided on the principle therefore, that the compositions would be based around the simple notion of tension and release, or, suspension and resolution of harmony. I also wanted to heavily incorporate extemporisation on piano harmonics.

For this purpose, two grand pianos were selected in different locations. One was recorded in pristine conditions on an immaculately tuned grand piano in a very large orchestral studio, the other on a slightly out of tune baby grand piano in an empty room.

After experimenting with various keys, I settled on clusters primarily rooted in pentatonic harmony. These were played in spans of continuous four octave sustained arpeggios, at varying levels of velocity and speed. Only the harmonics produced from the chords were recorded.

These recorded harmonics from both pianos were merged and re assembled in their pure form.

The integrated harmonics were incredibly resonant, and laden with overtones and subtle quartertones. The longer they were sustained the more the harmonics diffused into natural or 'emergent' transient and random melodies – almost akin to 'self assembly' motifs.

The disparate elements of the well tempered tuning combined with the relaxed tuning produced involuntary psycho acoustics which I processed and manipulated without ever varying it's diatonic origin. Although I had initiated the process, the beauty of the harmonic manifestations completely took me by surprise. "