Decade Zero
WORKS FOR INSTRUMENTS & ELECTRONICS
CHRISTOPHER BIGGS
Overview
New from Ravello Records is DECADE ZERO, a compilation of works for instruments and electronics by Christopher Biggs. The works integrate traditional instruments with live electronic processing and sound files.
Biggs’ compositions focus on environmental, political, and scientific extra-musical concepts relevant to today’s world. Featuring the Western Brass Quintet, the title track, Decade Zero explores the last period in time when humanity can take decisive action to combat climate change without facing irrevocable changes to our world.
Externalities, for amplified cello and electronics, balances a consumer attempting to minimize the negative outcomes of their consumption choices while reflecting on participatory economics. Amass, for clarinet and electronics, has origins in the Arab Spring movement and Occupy Wall Street. It reflects on contemporary society’s desire for meaningful change through continuous stratifying and blending of music.
Biggs’ more abstract works, such as the Decoherence for trumpet and electronics, refer to concepts of quantum physics, and Recombinant Serenade features variations on the “Prologue” from Benjamin Britten’s Serenade for tenor, horn, and strings.
Featuring works based on science fiction, Biggs’ A Letter to the Moon is inspired by Italo Calvino’s short story The Distance to the Moon. Promethea, for alto saxophone and electronics, is based on Alan Moore’s graphic novel of the same name. The common themes between these works include the anxieties of decision-making, often represented with instrumental parts, and the range of resulting consequences, generally represented by the electronics. Biggs’ striking electro-acoustic works lend these ideas a startling immediacy by creating compelling music that will intrigue and thrill listeners.
Album Preview
Track Listing
1 DECADE ZERO
Western Brass Quintet
Robert White, trumpet - Scott Thornburg, trumpet - Lin Foulk, horn - Daniel Mattson, trombone - Jacob Cameron, tuba
EXTERNALITIES
Zachary Boyt, cello
2 Movement I
3 Movement II
4 Movement III
5 PROMETHEA
Alex Sellers, alto saxophone
A LETTER TO THE MOON
SPLICE Ensemble
Samuel Wells, trumpet - Adam Vidiksis, percussion - Keith Kirchoff, piano
6 Movement I
7 Movement II
8 RECOMBINANT SERENADE
Lin Foulk, horn
DECOHERENCE
Samuel Wells, trumpet
9 Decoherence: Movement
10 Decoherence: Movement II
11 Decoherence: Movement III
AMASS
Mauricio Salguero, clarinet
12 of need and necessity
13 Music of the Spheres
14 Imperatives
15 and Now, late breaking
16 Calculations
17 Abstraction
18 Anarchy
Credits
DECADE ZERO
Recorded January 16, 2017 at Dalton Recital Hall in Kalamazoo, MI
Producer Christopher Biggs
Recording Session Engineer Garrett Gagnon
EXTERNALITIES
Recorded May 8, 2013 at the Dalton Center Electronic Music Lab, room 2004 in Kalamazoo, MI
Producer & Session Engineer Christopher Biggs
PROMETHEA
Recorded November 19, 2016 at the Dalton Center Electronic Music Lab, room 2004 in Kalamazoo, MI
Producer & Session Engineer Christopher Biggs
A LETTER TO THE MOON
Recorded December 17, 2016 at the Slosberg Music Center Recital Hall Waltham, MI
Producer & Session Engineer Christopher Biggs
RECOMBINANT SERENADE
Recorded July 2, 2014 at the Dalton Center Electronic Music Lab, room 2004 in Kalamazoo, MI
Producer & Session Engineer Christopher Biggs
DECOHERENCE
Recorded September 17, 2016 in Scholes Street Studio in New York, NY
Producer & Session Engineer Christopher Biggs
AMASS
Recorded September of 2013 at the Western Sound Studios in Kalamazoo, MI
Producer Christopher Biggs
Recording Session Engineer Bryan Heany
Cover Artwork Michael Labrie
Executive Producer Bob Lord
Executive A&R Sam Renshaw
A&R Brandon MacNeil
Audio Director Jeff LeRoy
Engineering Manager Lucas Paquette
Mastering Shaun Michaud
Design & Marketing Director Brett Picknell
Design Emily Roulo
This album was supported by a grant from the Faculty Research and Creative Activities Award (FRACAA), Western Michigan University (WMU).
Details
Release Date: November 10, 2017
Catalog #: RR7976
https://www.ravellorecords.com/catalog/rr7976/
License
© RAVELLO RECORDS LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
