Conference napalm::commusic_v1

2028.0. "VALIS - Tod Machover" by BAVIKI::GOOD (Michael Good) Mon Jun 19 1989 13:59

I got to see a semi-staged version of VALIS, Tod Machover's opera,
this weekend at the MIT Media Lab.  This performance had the same
cast as the recording, a single 77-minute CD/cassette from Bridge 
Records.

VALIS is based on the science fiction novel of the same name by Philip 
Dick.  While the plot and dramatic parts of the opera are a bit of a
mess, the music is excellent.  My favorite portion is the passacaglia
that serves as the Finale for Part II, but much of the rest of Part II
is also especially good.

Machover and Joseph Chung, an MIT graduate student, have developed the
concept of hyperinstruments, or computer-enhanced instruments for musical
expression.  The orchestra consists of two live players (piano and
percussion) interacting with a mix of live and pre-recorded electronics.
But it doesn't sound like your typical academic electronic music.  What
it does sound like is hard to describe, but it's usually quite beautiful.
Some things are easy to point out - this is tonal music, and often
incorporates things that sound like rock, or maybe even New Age, but
still within an operatic framework.  

The CD booklet includes quite a bit of detail on the computer processes 
used in the opera.  Machover was at IRCAM in Paris before going to the
Media Lab, and VALIS uses technology developed at both places.  VALIS
was premiered at IRCAM, but was revised substantially afterwards, prior
to this recording and performance.

I think that nearly anyone who's interested in how computers can
enhance musical expression, like people in the conference, would
like to hear this work.  It's especially recommendable if you're
interested in modern, melodic, vocal music.  If you're not usually
an opera-lover, don't be put off by that.  VALIS is probably not like
any other opera you've heard.

A fully staged production is planned for 1990.  That should be interesting.
The semi-staging had some neat effects, using "The Cube" to the maximum,
but things like the Part II finale had much more static staging than the
music seems to call for.  There's also supposed to be more video and
lighting work for the full production.

This is the only piece by Machover that I know, but I plan to follow
his career from now on.  He's only 35 so there should be a lot
of career to follow.  I know there's at least one other recording out,
including a piece called "Nature's Breath", which I plan to get as well.

    I caught part of an interview of him the other day. They showed
    some of the opera, and discussed it.
    	One of Tod Machover's ideas is to use the computer (Mackintosh)
    to "improve" to performance of the musicians by "adjusting" their
    notes to occur at exact times. The musicians paly as accurately
    as they can and the computer figures out exactly where to play the
    actual notes. Of course this sounds like on-line quantization to
    me. Tod seemed to feel that it improved the music by achieving a
    level of syncopation not otherwise possible.
    	It seems to me that many people in this conference are wary
    of over quantizing music as it starts to sound too mechanical. Now
    that you have heard this music would you agree with this opinion?
    Or do you think that Machover has been able to transcend this problem?
    
    		Mark
    

    When I was taking theatre lighting/sound in college, my final proposal
    was to improve singer's diction and intonation 
    with a pickup system that had knowledge
    of the libretto and score and rehearsals, listened to the singers
    with mics and DSP, and recontructed the signal for clearer diction,
    sending it out over the augmentation system.

    I like it.  Music that is written with certain effects and procedures
    probably would do better with quantization, but I just don't understand
    why he has live players; a conductor could adjust a synth ensemble
    to a singer's horrible tempo.
    Tom

    
    I heard some pieces of "Valis" on the "New Sounds" show done by the NYC
    PBS station.  It was definitely otherworldly, with electronic sounds
    (under computer control) like a halo around the natural acoustic
    sounds.  I'm not sure I understood what the big deal was, I have heard
    similar effects by just running acoustic sounds through delays,
    vocoders, etc.  Then again, I'm not sure what I *expected* to hear,
    eh?  It's worth a listen if you're interested in "serious" electronic
    music, maybe you can buy Michael some beers and he'll play you his CD
    8^)  8^)  8^)
    
    Being not much of an opera fan, I won't comment further except to say
    that taking a book as convoluted as "Valis" and then making an opera
    out of it that requires computer assistance to stage is not going to
    get Machover booked into La Scala anytime soon.
    
    							Brian