The violin always alternates between two pitches. The larger form alternates between cells where a high note that gradually descends the harmonic series and cells where a low note that gradually ascends a “reverse” harmonic series. Each cell is at a slightly slower tempo from the last, moving over the course of the piece from the fastest to the slowest possible bow speeds. Filtered noise always accompanies the violin sound, with the extremes of the filter matching the violin’s pair of notes.
0: 1/1 0.000000 unison, perfect prime 1: 16/15 111.731285 minor diatonic semitone 2: 8/7 231.174094 septimal whole tone 3: 16/13 359.472338 tridecimal neutral third 4: 4/3 498.044999 perfect fourth 5: 16/11 648.682058 undecimal semi-diminished fifth 6: 8/5 813.686286 minor sixth 7: 16/9 996.089998 Pythagorean minor seventh 8: 2/1 1200.000000 octave 9: 16/7 1431.174094 septimal major ninth 10: 8/3 1698.044999 perfect 11th 11: 16/5 2013.686286 minor 13th 12: 4/1 2400.000000 2 octaves 13: 5/1 2786.313714 major 17th 14: 6/1 3101.955001 perfect 19th 15: 7/1 3368.825906 harmonic 21st 16: 8/1 3600.000000 3 octaves MORE NOTES WILL NOT FIT
D. Edward Davis (b. 1980) is a composer of electronic and acoustic music. His work often engages with the sounds of the environment, exploring processes and patterns inspired by nature. Recent performers of his work include violinists Erik Carlson and Mari Kimura, the Hilliard Ensemble, yMusic, pianist Ingrid Lee, Rootstock Percussion Trio, and the Wet Ink Ensemble. Davis is currently a PhD candidate at Duke University, where he studies composition with Scott Lindroth and John Supko. He also has degrees from Brooklyn College and Northwestern University, and his former teachers include David Grubbs, Amnon Wolman, and Jay Alan Yim.