Thursday, January 3, 2008

Solar Flare, Part 1 up on Web site

Finally, I get some new music posted!  As some of you know, my wife and I went through a nearly three-year-long saga of house building.  (It actually isn't over yet, but we are living in the house and things are nearing normal, finally.)  Back before we began that odyssey, I started a piece of music titled Solar Flare, with the intent of musically representing a solar cycle.  (Pretentious much?  Who, me?)  The piece got shelved when the house wars began, and I was only able to get back to it last spring.  Well, I have finally nearly finished it, and I've put up the first part here.  Over the next couple of weeks, I should get all five parts up.  They are:
  1. Cycle 24 -- represents the solar cycle that is due to begin in March 2008.  A rather quiet bit that opens the piece.
  2. Prominence -- A solar prominence is a loop of the photosphere material that is made to rise from the surface as it follows the Sun's changing magnetic flux lines.  Prominences are associated with flares and sunspots.  Musically, this part is a bit of a nod to Jarre, with a pulsing bass line, pads, and lots of noises and things weaving in and out.
  3. Magnetic Revolutions -- The Sun's magnetic field is in constant turmoil -- in fact, it totally inverts itself (the magnetic North and South poles swap) every solar cycle.  This part will be rhythmically, tonally, and scale-wise in oppressive turmoil.
  4. Storm -- The solar flare, and its effects on Earth: fried satellites, power failures, and Northern and Southern Lights.  An improv piece using the EML 101.  This was actually the first part of Solar Flare to be completed (it's been on the shelf for a while).
  5. Cycle 25 -- The following solar cycle, starting in 2020.  How will it be different or similar to Cycle 24?  This part is a re-statement of Part 1, with variations.
I hope you find it interesting.

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