...The Signal...
Peter Scartabello
About this work:
Egypt's temple of Ra, a giant obelisk, was said to emit a bright light from its summit. This temple was worshipped for its source of light, Ra representing eternal life among other things. I have experienced similar feelings from oscillating light sources, such as lighthouses. Some composers such as Scriabin and Rimsy-Korsakov saw color and light every time a certain note was played. This is actually a genetic condition called synethesia, where one cannot play a note without seeing a particular color.
The tape material for ...the Signal... is derived entirely from classical guitar samples. The sounds come in three segments. The first being a rapid pulse of light, as a lighthouse. The second is a melodic phrase, representing the life within the light. The third is a long falling glissando, above that, a composite tone containing a fundamental note w/ some 71 partials. The noise at the summit of this overtone spectrum is pure light, dense and exuding the essence of Ra.
Year composed: 1994
Duration: 00:06:00
Ensemble type: Solo instrument, non-keyboard:Guitar (Classical/Acoustic)
Instrumentation: 1 Guitar (Classical/Acoustic)
Instrumentation notes: Classical Guitar and Tape