Bauxite Dreams (1992) for electronic tape was composed at the Florida International University electronic music studio and computer lab. This work utilizes chanting from the Tibetan, Indian, North African, and Western musical traditions as a primary source of inspiration and sound material. Much of the music heard on the tape is generated by processing these rich and diverse sound sources. In many instances, the sources have been altered greatly to mask their identity. At other times, the original recordings can be heard quite clearly. In addition, I used synthesizers and Csound (a computer synthesis language developed at MIT) to imitate the sound sources. In this respect, the borders between the natural and electronic sounds become blurred. In processing the original files, I used simple sampling techniques and digital filtering as well as more advanced techniques such as sound granulation and amplitude modultaion to alter the source material. The listener will also hear samples of percussion instruments from each of these religious traditions throughout Bauxite Dreams. Those with perceptive ears may also hear some percussive sounds which are not quite as traditional. For reasons which I hope will become obvious throughout the course of the composition, Bauxite Dreams is dedicated to the LUMEN Contemporary Music Ensemble.

Click on the link below to download an audio excerpt 

For performance materials contact jon.nelson@unt.edu