Tractatus I

TITLE: Tractatus 1
CAT# (YEAR COMPOSED): #65: 2002/2013
INSTRUMENTATION: solo oboe
PAGES: 8
DURATION (APPROX): 3’38
NOTE
Tractatus 1 presents procedures designed to exploit the nonlinearity of the double reed system – particularly angle, rotation, depression and lip pressure in combination with air pressure/flow. One method will be to set up asymmetrical vibrations using differential pressure applied to the top and bottom reeds.

The title refers to a collection of treatises by Jerome of Moravia, titled Tractatus, which bound together theoretical writings by Johannes de Garlandia, Franco of Cologne and others. These tracts were devoted, in part, to provide practical explanations of mensural notation, which as a method for disseminating information shares a common raison d’être with many of my compositions dealing with nonlinear and multidimensionality.

In part, Tractatus 1 attempts to formalize robust variables existing outside of pitch and rhythm found within the multidimensional phase space of sound production by the oboe. A key feature of this study is to place each variable, as much as possible, within scalar formations (within minimal to maximal values) that allow the chosen variables to be shifted systematically as part of the compositional process.