Circum (after James Joyce) (2022)

any instruments, performing from a projected animated score (originally: accordion, flute, percussion, soprano)

Commissioned by Between Feathers; premiered in Vienna in December 2022 and performed in Dublin and Graz in January 2023, as part of the project Ulysses 2022.

Currently, the videos on this page are silent (I haven’t received an edited recording from the performances yet). They can be used as the sore for rehearsal purposes.

Circum is an experiment in creating a silent, animated score: the visual element is supposed to be visible both to the performers and the audience and it acts as the entire "text" for the performers. For the musicians, the video inspires them to create sound, generating a feedback loop where their actions are affected both by the video and the sonic choices they have already made. For the audience, however, sound and sight unfold simultaneously. Circum is also my first attempt as an Irish artist to get into the world of James Joyce - probably the most important Irish artist? My transitions, which sit between pieces focused on specific episodes of Ulysses, transverse the entire text (backwards) in several ways, treating Bloomsday like Groundhog Day. The animated score is made of text transformed algorithmically into music notation, both displayed using particle systems

Introduction

Circum begins with a generative “slot machine” which was played by the percussionist Hannes Schöggl for the performances by Between Feathers. The code spins through the whole text of Ulysses (backwards), converting it into music notation as it goes, and every so often stops. Hannes attempted played back the music any time it stopped, and thrummed gently on a snare drum whenever the notation was spinning.

A mockup that works in-browser can be found here.

The Max patch for this part of the piece can be downloaded here

This part of the piece was played as the audience entered the room.

Afterwards, Rebecca Saunders’ O Yes And I was played.

First Transition: (between Saunders and Rouvelas)

After the Saunders piece, this video score appears. In the initial performances it was played on solo accordion. When this was finished, Antonis Rouvelas’ Sweets of Sin plays.

Transition 2: (between Rouvelas and Puig)

played on solo flute in the initial performances. After this, Sergi Puig Serna’s Hades is performed.

Transition 3: (between Puig and Adams)

The final part of Molly Bloom’s soliloquy (distorted in an image-editing application) was used by the soprano as a text/graphic score for the third transition. She continues reading through the final ensemble section, and doesn’t make use of the video for her performance.

Finally, all the musicians perform from this score, which is designed to be the last part of the concert (in the original performances)

The piece could easily be adapted for other circumstances.