Aerial Barry D. Truax

Aerial is characterized by an interplay between the solo instrument and the taped sounds in terms of complementary and contrasting sound colours. It attempts a close blending of the horn with the tape, not only in terms of timbre, but also with frequent pitch references, similar rhythms and quadraphonic spatial amplification. The horn is not intended to be heard as a ’solo’ voice, but rather as an integral element of a complete environment, sometimes leading, sometimes following, and in the final section, gliding effortlessly on its currents as suggested by the title. The piece is closely related to part II of the composer’s Love Songs for voice and tape, and evokes the sense of landscape, mountains, clouds, and lakes as related to the love imagery found in that piece. The work is also inspired by a comment of John Cage that “in landscape there are no inherent contradictions.”

  • Year of composition: 1979
  • Format: Mixed work
  • Instrumentation: solo horn and 4 computer-synthesized soundtracks
  • Software used: POD system for sound synthesis and composition
  • Duration of the submitted work: 9:30
  • Publisher: Cambridge Street Publishing
  • Production: Sonic Research Studio, Simon Fraser University (Burnaby, British Columbia)
  • Premiere: November 16, 1979, Vancouver, Western Front, International Circuit of Electroacoustic Music, with James MacDonald
  • Disc publication: Cambridge Street Records and Wergo CD Digital Soundscapes, CSR-CD 8701, as performed by Steven Field.

Linked project

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