Below the Walls of Jericho Paul Dolden

The title is only a loose reference to the story in the bible. What interests me about the story is the idea of a large mass of people knocking down a wall through the use of sound. The story gives credence to the notion of music as a catalyst for social change. Beyond the sheer physical impact that a large number of sounds contain, music is a form of language, which is capable of creating thoughts. The power of music lies in the simultaneous physical and intellectual seduction of the listener.

In the composition, four hundred tracks of sound are often assembled to create the sense of a large mass. Dividing each of the seven octaves into fourty-eight notes creates Three hundred and thirty-three tracks. Brass, string and wind instruments from the Western musical tradition and from other cultures are combined to create these textures. The remaining racks are made up from the un-pitched percussion instrument families. The working method allows each track to have its own identity in terms of frequency and tempo. The relationship between each layer and the mass effect can act as a metaphor the relationship between the individual and society. Beyond the music, the metaphor suggests questions of what are the walls we have to tear down in order for our culture to move forward.

  • Year of composition: 1988
  • Format: Fixed media
  • Duration of the submitted work: 14:33

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