frequency illusion

frequency illusion is a musical work in six movements which explores a new system developed by the composer, Rory Murphy, for the generation and progression of hexadic harmony. In the last movement, four soloists play from a sculptural rendering of this system, which is suspended behind the ensemble. Each movement has a different character, inspired by its associated poem, and makes its exploration in a different way, but the senary essence of the hexagon pervades the entire work. The perceptors* were invited to consider the poems, illustrations, and photographs alongside the music in terms of this essence, and to heed any associations which form in their minds. These were presented to them in a hexagonal booklet.




*After much searching, this little-used Latin term was found and taken to refer to those who perceive music by any and all senses through which it is expressed, presented, and contextualised. It is a term which here replaces those of ‘listeners’ and ‘audience’ (due to their sonic bias), and it is preferable especially because it
refers to the phenomenological ‘sensing’ of stimuli by the sensory organs prior to their being coloured in the conscious mind by subsequent comprehension and categorisation.








Each booklet was folded in a different order, contained 6 different photos, and also had one page removed. Removing these pages, and giving different photos, encouraged discussion about the piece while also reflecting the sixth movement being non-existent.



      







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