Sea Of France
Michael Robinson
About this work:
Sea of France, composed in 1991, is a favorite of some of my friends.
In the Fall of 1991, I was visiting Manhattan from my home in LA. One morning I woke up coughing blood. Quite alarmed, I went to see my former internist. It turned out to be only a cold, and the blood had simply come from my nose! Quite relieved, I walked to the Metropolitan Museum, which was only a few blocks away, and found myself sitting down in front of Renoir's Figures By the Sea in the Robert Lehman Wing.The painting shows a young boy and a small white dog playing on the shore, accompanied by his mother and another women. It reminded me of my childhood. That, and the sensation of being so relieved that I wasn't very ill, brought about a serene sensation, and the ostinato figure played by the strings came to me. I wrote down the musical idea, and when I get back to my apartment, I began composing the through-composed music sounded by the piano timbre. Later, I added the playful sounding water bells, and the soothing ocean waves for a richer texture.
Renoir is more commonly known for his sensuality, yet I am also dazzled by his perfect technique and sense of form.
- Michael Robinson, July 1999, Beverly Hills
© 1999 by Michael Robinson All rights reserved
Year composed: 1991
Duration: 00:59:51
Ensemble type: Electronic Instruments and Sound Sources:Live Electronic Sound Sources
Instrumentation: ,1 Computer/Laptop soloist(s), ,1 Sampler (Keyboard/Other) soloist(s)
Instrumentation notes: A computer and sound module are programmed to perform the fully notated composition in real time. Sea of France is voiced with samples of the following acoustical timbres using equal temperment tuning: piano. Synthesized strings, waterbells and ocean waves are also used.