Electric Serpent

for piano and electronics

Part 1: Serpent on the edge of an abyss

Part 2: Electric currents

Program note:

Electric Serpent is a piece for piano and electronics written for the pianist Sarah Nicolls. It is part of a larger cycle of pieces which are a representation of time as movement of the four alchemical and astrological elements in the zodiac signs through the year. The titles used in each section are based on the description of the 9 cards of the wands suit of the minor arcana by Aleister Crowley on his Thoth Tarot. Electric Serpent represents the element of fire or the wands suit.

The piece explores the various spectral possibilities of the metallic piano sound. The first part is based mostly on sounds created from exciting the strings inside the piano, while the second part explores normal hammered piano and synthesized sound.

Multiple layers of pre-recorded instrumental material and synthesized sounds, and live piano are mixed through timbral relations and relations of temporal behaviour. The live piano is treated not much differently from the electronic sound layers. The difference with the electronic layers is that the performer may provide a link to the real sound-world and human gesture, both aurally and visually.

score sample, section 4

Electric currents (audio part):